Remember
by DistanceMaster
Summary: His family didn't love him. His uncle sold him to a brothel. He wasn't supposed to remember who he was, but he did. He knew he was Harry Potter and his life was meaningless. Mute by choice, Harry delves into the Dark Side after being rescued by Severus Snape. A new life begins and the romance of a lifetime evolves. Full summary inside. Slash.
1. Prologue: Boy Named Ra

Full Summary: Ra was once a happy little boy named Harry Potter. Then, everything changed and he was ignored in favor of his older brother and baby sister. Given to his aunt and uncle at the age of seven, Harry found himself in a brothel in Manchester. He is given a new name, Ra, although he never forgets his other name. Ten years later, Severus Snape finds and rescues him. Unable to speak, how will Harry react to living on the Dark side? WBWL, abuse, non-con, AD/LE/JP bashing, non-book compliant.

This is NOT by any means a crossover with Egyptian or Greek mythology. The names are just used.

* * *

Prologue: The Boy Called Ra

In the backstreets on Manchester, there was a boy's home of a reputable size. It housed anywhere from twenty to forty boys at any given time. The owner of the establishment, a Mr. Tender, was well known throughout the community as a respectable, honest man. He was famous for his charity, especially with the local church. He was a deacon and the conductor for the choir. He was an unfortunate widower, his wife having passed when she was very young, leaving Mr. Tender in the care of the elderly women who lived nearby. Everyone loved him.

However, here was a dark secret that was hidden beneath the pleasant exterior of the boy's home. Mr. Tender used the first floor as his own apartments; leaving the five upper floors for the use of the young boys he had charge of. What was unknown to the outside world was that Mr. Tender's Home for Abandoned Boys, as it was called, was in fact, a famous brothel.

Most of the boys that had been given to Mr. Tender were orphans or had been abandoned by their parents when they were young. No one would come looking for them. No one would love them and they all knew this fact. All they had to do was be good little boys for Mr. Tender and he may let them leave the brothel, bought by another man to be his pet. The sales transactions were hidden under the guise of adoption, of course. They all had code names, given to them by Mr. Tender himself in order to market them to his customers. None of them remembered their true names and those that had once known them had forgotten under threat of inexcusable pain. Well, except for one.

Ra was one of the oldest boys at Mr. Tender's Home, a true beauty with pouty lips, pale skin, and deep, green eyes. He was sixteen, unusually thin, and short, barely reaching five foot seven. His customers characterized him as the innocent type, a perfect stand-in when the situation arose where a special customer came and all of the younger boys were already entertaining others. He was the only boy among the current fifty at the Home that knew his original name.

Night had just fallen and Ra sat on the bed in his room, awaiting his first customer. He knew that he had a full docket tonight and he sighed. There would be no sleep for him tonight. He stared at the small clock in the corner, just waiting for his impending fate. Ra understood completely that there was no escape.

Through the thin walls, he could hear loud panting from the next room and his heart sank. Sprite was a few years younger, or so they thought, probably no older than ten. The boy had been brought in from another home in London after being picked up on the streets by police officers. He'd been with Ra and the others only for a few months. They all saw how their forced lifestyle was affecting the boy. His soul was breaking down, his heart shattering. Any hopes or dreams he may have had were tossed into the gutter and abandoned.

After a few minutes, the panting stopped and Ra heard a door slam. As footsteps passed his door in the hallway, Ra got up from his bed and padded to the door. Slowly, he opened it and poked his head out. Finding no one there, he slipped from the room and headed next door. He knew that Mr. Tender would be angry with him if he wasn't back in his bedroom by the time his customer arrived, but Ra had always put the younger ones ahead of his own physical pain. He'd lived with Mr. Tender's punishments for years already. What was one more?

Sprite was curled up on the red sheets, his shoulders shaking as he cried. Closing the door behind him, Ra slid up to the bed and sat down on it. Turning onto his other side, Sprite looked up at the older boy with sad, blue eyes and shuffled closer. Ra pulled Sprite up into his arms, setting the child on his lap.

_It'll go away soon_, Ra signed with his hands as Sprite winced.

Silence was the number one rule at Mr. Tender's. None of the boys were allowed to speak, unless prompted by a client. A few of the older boys, including Ra himself, were allowed to sing, but only as entertainment for a client. In order to communicate, the boys had set up a complex system of hand signals that they were all able to understand.

_I don't want it at all_, Sprite signed.

_I know, but we have to think about things in the best way we can_, Ra replied, inwardly cringing.

_I'm scared, Ra_, Sprite signed, burying his face in the teen's chest.

_Why?_ Ra asked.

_I'm never going to get out of here, am I?_ Sprite sobbed.

_You will. Have hope. I will make sure that you get out of here,_ Ra promised.

He'd given up all hope for his own escape years ago. However, he always held the belief that, with his help, one of the others would some day break free and tell the whole world what was going on. Ra didn't think anyone would care about him specifically, but the younger ones, yes.

Suddenly, there came a knock at the door. Ra put Sprite aside and went to answer it. On the other side stood an angry Mr. Tender, arms crossed over his chest. He scowled at Ra as he grabbed the teenager by the collar and dragged him back to his own room. Throwing Ra into the bare bedroom, he slammed the door and locked it. Ra sighed to himself and sat down against the wall that separated him from Sprite. He was relieved to not hear the sharp hits of a belt or any other source of punishment.

At 8:03, Ra's first client arrived. He was a pudgy man with a round face. His hands were large, his fingers shaped like sausages. He smirked at Ra as he closed the door behind him and beckoned for the teenager. Slowly, Ra stood and made his way over to the man.

As the client carelessly undressed him and had his way with him on the bed, Ra's thoughts turned to the life he'd once had. He had not forgotten, not like the others. He remembered tugging on his mother's robe, trying to get her attention. She would then scowl at him and push him out of the way. He remembered going to his father when he had a bad dream, but the man just sent him straight back to his room. He remembered the two uncles that had snuck him food and presents when his parents had forgotten his birthday.

A small smile played on his lips as the grunting man behind him finished. Padfoot and Mooney, his father's best friends. They had taken care of him as well as they could with his parents around and Ra had appreciated their love.

He'd never fully understood why his parents didn't, but he knew it had to do with his siblings. They were better than him in every way. They deserved the love of their parents. His brother was like their father, brash and wild. His sister was like their mother, sweet, but strong. Ra was none of those things After all, look where he ended up. He was just a dirty prostitute now, a whore as Mr. Tender called him.

Sitting up, he gingerly flipped himself onto his back as the client instructed. As the man started to play with him, Ra's mind drifted further into his memories. Michael had been his brother's name, Alana, his sister. Michael had been a little over year older, Alana just under a year younger. Michael was important. Alana was still in the womb when the incident that changed Ra's life occurred. And what was Ra? He was the hated child.

Half an hour later, the client was finished with him. Ra watched as the man got dressed and left the room, not even saying thank you. Falling back onto the bed, Ra sighed to himself and curled up against the wall. He threw a glance at the clock. There was probably another ten to thirty minutes before his next client came. This was how his life was: an endless cycle of clients, whether they were paying customers or Mr. Tender himself.

Lazily, he traced the two black letters that had been tattooed on the lower right side of his stomach, just beside the hipbone. Ra: it was his name now, but once it hadn't been so. In the very back of his mind, covered in layers of dust and cobwebs, was his true name. He had hidden it well; for fear that Mr. Tender would still find out that he remembered everything. At one time, he had been called Harry.


	2. Chapter 1: Fudge's Secret Meeting

Chapter 1: Fudge's Secret Meetings

Ra limped up the stairs, trying to go quickly as his aching body would let him. A combination of six clients and a punishment from Mr. Tender had been a good one.

Glancing up, Ra saw Sprite standing at the top of the steps. The boy wore old jeans that had been hacked at the knees with a pair of scissors and no shirt. Marks covered his neck and chest, remnants of his past clients.

_Are you okay?_ Sprite asked when Ra reached the landing.

_I'm fine. The Bastard just wanted some fun,_ Ra signed in reply.

Gritting his teeth, the injured teen staggered into the large, open room that the boys used as their rec room. One was lounging around on the metal chairs that had been bolted to the floor while two others were lying on the carpeted floor, playing cards. They all looked up when he came in, eyes shining with understanding. Sprite took a seat by the two boys on the floor while Ra slowly lowered himself into a chair. He fought back a groan, his vision dotted with black.

_The Bastard was rough?_ one of the other boys, Faun, signed.

_No more than usual,_ Ra replied.

_So it was pretty bad, huh? Did he torture you this time?_ another boy asked.

_Not this time, Siren, _Ra signed.

_Why does he have to punish us?_ Sprite asked. _Isn't it enough that we're here?_

_Of course not,_ one of the boys in the chairs said, snarling. _We're his property. He can do whatever he wants with us._

_We need to get out of here,_ Faun signed.

_Agreed, but Ra will be punished just like last time,_ Siren replied.

_Do not worry about me being punished, Siren. He does that anyway_.

Ra nearly laughed at the thought. Even when Ra was younger, Mr. Tender had always had a thing for him. He was the Bastard's favorite little tool, to use and be used. After their escape attempts, while the other boys had been given limited food and more clients than they could handle, Ra had been set aside for Mr. Tender himself to take care of. Ra shuddered to remember the last time. He had been unable to sit for nearly a week and he had still been forced to take as many clients as the other boys.

_Can't you use some of that Strangeness to get us out of here?_

Ra's eyes narrowed into a slight glare. He always hated anyone referring to his Freakishness, the Strangeness that seemed to follow him everywhere. Clients that were overly rough with him were found with strange diseases the following morning, although Ra never got them. When he was younger, some of the older boys had bullied him. They'd ended up with boils that burned and burst, leaving them unable to work for a while. He'd once even found himself on the roof of the Home when one of said bullies was chasing him through the halls.

Magic. That was what Ra remembered it being called, but he never used the term himself. Magic was for good people after all. He'd read it in the book of fairy tales that sat on a small shelving unit in the corner of the room. Only princes and princesses on noble quests got help from magic and Ra was none of those things.

The man that had sent him to the Home had said that Ra was a strange, demonic child and that the Freakishness was a terrible thing. He'd said that the Strangeness set him apart from everyone else, making him the lowest of the low. To this day, Ra still believed him.

_You know that the Strangeness doesn't work that way. It only happens when it wants to. I have no control over it,_ Ra signed in reply.

The other boys all sighed and nodded their heads. They'd seen bits and pieces of Ra's Strangeness and, while they all thought it was as cool as can be, they knew that Ra didn't.

Suddenly, they heard stomping feet on the stairs. The boys all turned to look at the door as it burst open, revealing a thrilled Mr. Tender. He practically danced into the room, a wide, smirking smile on his face. All of the boys shuddered.

"I have great news, my whores!" Mr. Tender cried.

The five boys around him exchanged worried glances.

"You have all been exceptionally good the past few weeks and we have been invited by an oh-so-pleased lord to attend a party at his home," Mr. Tender chuckled.

Although Ra didn't show it on the outside, he was terrified. He'd heard some of the older boys talking about the 'parties' when he was younger. They were horror-filled lust fests, a nightmare for anyone let alone the boys that were passed around and raped repeatedly at them.

"You will all put on your best clothes and be ready for tonight."

Shivering a little, Ra hunkered down in his chair, trying to make himself as small as possible. He knew that tonight was going to be one of the worst of his life.

* * *

"Severus, you have to come! I don't want to be stuck there with Fudge all by myself!" Lucius whined.

Severus Snape sighed and shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Narcissa is going and you did decide to work for the Ministry. Therefore, you're stuck being around the Minister every so often," he reminded his friend.

"Yeah, but it's a total incompetent idiot! I don't like to be around him alone! He'll start clinging to me like lint does to a robe!" Lucius cried. "Besides, Narcissa is going to be busy talking to other people!"

"Severus, it's best if you just give in now," Narcissa Malfoy laughed from her seat on the couch. "He'll just end up dragging you along."

"Fine, I'll go, but you owe me a big favor for this, Lucius," Severus growled.

The Malfoy patriarch smirked and nodded. "A Malfoy will always pay whatever debt is owed." (1)

Rolling his eyes a little, Severus watched his best friend as he turned to a mirror, fixing his dress robes. They were standing in the main parlor of Malfoy Mansion, an extravagant room that usually left Severus feeling a little overwhelmed. He greatly preferred his dark, simple dungeons to the overdone style that had plagued the Malfoy family for generations.

"Come along now, Lucius, Severus. Fudge will be awaiting our arrival," Narcissa said as she stood up from the couch.

"We're already half an hour late, Narcissa. I don't see what harm it could do," Severus grumbled.

Narciss and Lucius threw him twin Malfoy smirks. They may have been a much more loving couple in private than they showed in public, but the Malfoy mask rarely fell.

"Being fashionably late is better than being late," Lucius said, retrieving a pinch of Floopowder from the urn on the fireplace mantle.

"What in the name of Merlin is the difference?" Severus cried as his blond friend stepped into the fire and disappeared.

Hissing angrily, Severus grabbed a pinch for himself and threw it into the fire. Stepping in, he called out, "24 Cambridge Way!"

Landing easily in the fireplace in the Great Hall of Fudge's mansion, Severus stepped out to find himself surrounded by people. They were all dressed in expensive robes, chattering aimlessly about this gossip or another. As he made his way through the crowd, following Lucius and Narcissa, Severus spotted a few people he recognized: Death Eaters that had recently regained their status with their now-resurrected Lord, other political officials, and even a few Aurors.

"Ah Lucius!" Fudge cried as he made his way towards them. "How good to see you!"

"Minister," Lucius coolly replied, shaking his hand.

"Mrs. Malfoy," Fudge continued, kissing Narcissa's hand. He then turned to Severus. "Professor! I'm surprised that you're here. You usually don't attend such occasions."

"No, I don't as a rule," Snape growled, throwing a fierce glare in Lucius's direction, "But the Malfoys invited me. I hope that is acceptable to you, Minister."

"Oh, yes. That is quite alright. After dinner, some of the other Ministry officials and I are going to have a special meeting in my office. I hope that you will join us, Professor," Fudge said in a sickly sweet way.

Snape cringed inwardly. There was nothing we wanted less than to be stuck in a room with Fudge and a bunch of political dogs. Well, that was unless you counted being within half a mile of Michael Potter.

Noticing Lucius's slight head nod, Severus said, "That is very kind of you, Minister. I would be thrilled to join."

"Splendid! I hope you enjoy the evening!"

As the Minister traipsed away, Narcissa laid a hand on Lucius's shoulder. "Dear, I'm going to mingle. Will you two be alright?"

"Of course, dear. See you later," Lucius said.

"Why did you make me accept?" Severus hissed when Narcissa was out of earshot.

"I heard a rumor a few weeks ago about these special meetings that Fudge holds. He's never invited me before so I don't know if they're true, but apparently, there is a lot of things that goes on in those," Lucius murmured, sipping a glass of red wine that had been passed to him by a magically floating tray.

"What sort of things?" Severus whispered.

Glancing around once, Lucius nodded to the right. Severus followed his friend through the house to the secluded library. Closing the door behind them, Lucius turned to face his friend, eyes hard. He quickly cast a silencing spell before he began to speak.

"I heard that Fudge has a thing for young boys, particularly Muggle boys. They're charmed to be able to see their surroundings, but never be able to recognize magic if it is performed. At these meetings, he brings them in from various brothels around the country and, basically, well he and the others present rape them."

The color drained from Severus's face a little.

"Why the hell did he invite me then? I'm a teacher?" Severus growled.

"I really have no idea. Fudge is a complete idiot so I wouldn't put it past him to forget that fact, even if he called you Professor. Besides, with you being as close to Tom as you are, he probably assumes that you are as evil as everyone makes our Lord out to be," Lucius sighed. "Either way, I'm not sure, but we need to know if these rumors are true or not. You know how much Tom hates abuse, especially of this kind."

Their Lord had been resurrected two years earlier, following a well laid out plan by a disguised Death Eater during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament. The Boy Who Lived, Michael Potter, had been brought to the graveyard and his blood used to bring Tom Riddle back from the limbo that had been his life for the previous fourteen years. Since then, the Dark Lord had regained his body, although the annoying boy had escaped. Along with his body, his sanity had returned. To his Inner Circle, like Lucius and Severus, he was no longer Voldemort. He was once again Tom, their close friend and confidant.

Severus nodded in agreement. "If Fudge is involved in rape and prostitution, what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to watch, see, find the evidence! Get your hands on one of the boys and bring him to Tom. Once it comes out that Fudge is involved in sex trafficking of young children, he'll topple from his post without fail," Lucius said quietly.

"Have you told Tom about this?" Severus asked.

Lucius shook his head. "Not yet. Our dear friend has enough to think about with the Potter brat running around proclaiming himself invincible. He'll be mad with me for not telling him, yes, but in the end it will be worth it."

Following a rich dinner of pheasant, duck, and various dishes of the more elaborate kind, Severus followed the group of Ministry men on their way to Fudge's office. His stomach clenched in anxiousness as the door opened and the men entered the room. It was well furnished, with deeply set, comfortable chairs set up in the circle at the center of the room. A fire blazed in the grate. Taking a seat, Fudge motioned for the other men to do so as well, the door swinging closed. Severus heard the quiet click on multiple locking charms, practically barricading the door from entry. Throwing up a quick silencing charm, Fudge smiled at the men sitting in the circle around him.

"Well, gentlemen, I have a special treat for you all tonight. Our guests have come all the way from Manchester to meet us," Fudge laughed. "Mr. Tender, if you please!"

Severus glanced in the direction of the second door that led into the office. A thin man came through it, dressed in dark gray robes made of silk. Quickly recognizing the man as a squib, Severus grit his teeth. The idea of prostituting young boys was unforgivable to him as a rule, but the fact that a member of the wizarding community (even if a shunned member) would participate in such an act was beyond his comprehension. Then, a group of five boys, all ranging in age from about fifteen to ten, followed the squib into the room. As directed by Mr. Tender, they stood in the middle of the circle, facing towards Severus and the other men. They were all dressed in what Snape recognized as tuxedos, their hair slicked back. Most of them had dead looks in their eyes, all fire extinguished.

"Can you introduce us to these lovely young men, Mr. Tender?"

The squib nodded, pointing to the youngest. "We have Sprite here, a submissive little creature. If you like one that cries, he is your boy."

Severus noticed that the boy's hands were shaking violently. From what he could see, Sprite was blond and small for his age. His skin was a deep tan, quite the contrast with his pale hair.

"Next is Angel. He's a fighter, vicious in a fight and even more so in bed. He's perfect if you want a rider," Mr. Tender cooed.

The second boy –Angel- was very different from the other four. For one, his skin was a deep chocolate brown. He was muscular and as tall as the two eldest boys despite being no older than twelve. If Muggles had been allowed to play Quiddich, he would have made a great beater.

"Faun is our resident masochist. No matter what anyone does to him, he doesn't cry or scream," Mr. Tender continued. "However, he has no scars and perfect skin."

Faun was thin, tall, and lanky. With his bright red hair and freckles, he resembled the Weasley family quite closely. His eyes were a dark blue, nearly black and his curly hair fell just below his chin in thick knots.

"Siren here is quite a fighter as well. He'll take top, bottom, or anything in between. Now, unlike Faun, he is quite the screamer. His voice is clear and loud and he will sing like a songbird if you ask him to."

Guessing this boy to be the eldest, Severus gave him a good look. From the angle at which he sat, he could see that Siren still had the fiery gaze in his dark, nearly black eyes. He met every glance with strength and courage. He was tanned, although not overly so, and seemed to have a natural glow to it. His brown hair was cropped close to the neck, although a few long bangs fell across his forehead.

"And now, the eldest of all of my boys: Ra," Mr. Tender said softly.

Severus glanced at the boy closest to him in shock. He was the eldest? He looked to be about thirteen, abnormally thin and small. Upon closer inspection, however, Severus could see that this boy was in fact about sixteen. His skin was a milky pale color, probably from a lack of sunlight. Thick black hair fell down his back in waves, held at the back of his neck with a silver clasp. Green eyes were trained to the floor, glittering softly in the light.

"What do you have to say about him?" Fudge asked.

Walking over to the eldest boy, Mr. Tender laid his hand on the boy's back, pushing him towards Severus. Forcing him into the professor's lap, he viciously slapped Ra's ass, making the boy jump a little. Severus kept his eyes fixed on the boy's face, marveling when no pain revealed itself.

"He's the best I have," Mr. Tender said as he turned to Fudge. "He's been with me for nearly ten years and he's a mighty great fuck. You'd have to have him to understand when I say that he's… different from the others. He's also a great dancer. If you would like, he and Siren can put on quite a show later."

"Why not now?" Fudge asked, sitting back in his chair.

Mr. Tender grinned and grabbed Ra by the collar of his jacket, dragging him off of Severus's lap. The boy followed the squib willingly to the center of the room, turning to face Fudge. Siren came up behind him as the three others were ushered into the laps of three separate men.

Severus watched as the 'dance' began. Ra leaned back into Siren's body, slowly moving his hips back and forth. The other boy kept pace, grinding hard against his partner. Throwing an arm back and around Siren's neck, Ra bent his knees a little and sped up his swaying hips. Some of the men groaned as the older teenager pulled teasingly on the hem of his pants, playing with the button that held them together.

The professor was repulsed and intrigued that the same time. He hated having to watch the boys as they were forced to 'entertain' these sick men, but it didn't hurt to have them be such beauties. Ra was especially gorgeous, especially when his partner's hand slipped into the front of his pants, massaging him between his legs. The older teen's mouth dropped open and he panted a little, rolling his hips.

The three men who had occupied laps began to play with the boys who sat on them. One of Fudge's closest advisors practically ripped Sprite's tuxedo from him, forcing the boy to unzip the fly of his pants. He groaned and purred as the ten-year-old took him into his mouth.

Severus noticed that Fudge had his gaze fixed on Ra. Perhaps it was because he was given the front view, but he seemed enraptured by the young man. Severus admitting that he was as well as he had only the side view, but he nearly sneered in disgust at the Minister. He'd never liked the man, but the slight shred of respect that he'd had for the man's office had been obliterated.

Sudden gasps of wonder filled the room and Severus snapped his attention back to the dancing boys. Ra's jacket and shirt had been taken off, revealing the creamy skin. More importantly though, the black dress pants had been pulled all the way down and his thin, beautiful legs were a sight to behold. He wore a black thong underneath, a piece so tight that it left nothing to the imagination. The boy was well endowed, that was sure. Stepping out of the pants, Ra walked seductively towards Fudge, swaying his hips a little. Just as the man was about to touch the edge of the thong, the boy sped backwards, running straight into Siren again. The two resumed their grinding dance, close enough to Fudge to give him practically a private show, but far enough that he couldn't touch without leaving his chair.

Fudge grinned widely as the boys entertained him, panting hard from exertion. Glancing around the room, Severus knew that he had to make a move soon. Things were getting out of hand. The other three boys were all nearly naked, especially the youngest, Sprite. A few tears were running down his cheeks as the man whose lap he sat on pinched roughly at his chest. The other two were stoic, but fairing just as badly as Sprite was.

Standing, Severus slowly walked over to the two boys in front of Fudge. He stepped around them, obscuring them from Fudge's view. Ra glanced up at him as his bare hips flushed against the teacher's. Reaching out, Severus ran a hair through the silken black hair, watching as the boy nearly closed his eyes contently. On Ra's other side, Siren continued the dance, pushing Ra cleanly against Severus.

"What are you doing, Snape?" one of the other men called. "You cut the Minister off from the best show I've ever seen."

Severus smirked at him. "I can make it more interesting," he snapped.

"Oh really? Show us then," the advisor cackled.

Beckoning to the other boys, Severus glanced around at the Ministry officials as they let the younger three go. When they were all within reach, Severus grabbed their hands and clasped them onto either Siren or Ra, who continued to grind against him.

"Snape, what-"

The man was cut off when Severus quickly apparated, taking the five unfortunate boys with him. He heard a scream of anger before all went quiet.

(1): I so badly wanted to write "A Lannister always pays his debts"


	3. Chapter 2: Remember Me

Chapter 2: Remember Me

Ra blinked when he suddenly fell to his knees on a hard, stone floor. He whipped his head up, glancing around. Siren and the others were scattered around him, groaning loudly. They were in a giant hall that had only a long table and several chairs as its fixtures. The walls were the same gray stone as the floor and, when he glanced up, he gasped. High above him, floated a million lit candles that flittered and flickered.

Hearing the sound of shifting fabric, Ra turned to look at the man that towered over them. He had dark hair that shined with grease and a hooked nose. His skin was nearly as pale as Ra's own and his dark eyes bored down on Ra. The black robes that he was wearing swished loudly as he shifted one foot to another.

Feeling someone tap the underside of his foot, Ra glanced back at Siren. The other boy was frowning, gesturing to their strange surroundings. Ra just shrugged in response, giving Siren the same confused look.

Suddenly, the grand pair of doors at the other end of the hall opened and a group of people stormed in. They all wore similar black robes to the one that the dark-haired man wore, although Ra could tell that they were in a variety of fabrics. The man that led the way stood tall and regal and his stride was confident. He was handsome, with wavy brown hair that was tied back in a ponytail. Piercing red eyes flicked between the five boys and the man standing behind them.

"Who are these children, Severus?" the man asked.

"Muggles, probably," a dark-haired woman spat from behind him. "Just look at how they're dressed."

"Bellatrix, hold your tongue," the man snapped.

"Sorry, Tom," the woman –Bellatrix- whimpered.

Feeling a soft tap on his shoulder, Ra looked at the other four that sat behind him. Faun, who was close to Ra in size, held out his tuxedo jacket to the older boy. Taking it, Ra gave him a nod of thanks and slipped it on.

"Lucius came across some interesting information regarding the Minister. He wanted my help confirming it," the dark man replied. "These children are all sex slaves, bought for a night by Fudge to 'entertain' a select group of guests, including myself."

Tom's right eyebrow shot up. His red eyes moved back to the small assembly of children. They were all too scantily dressed for his liking, but he didn't let it bother him too much. Four of them ducked their heads in fear, but Ra held the gaze.

"Really? So you caught Fudge in the act, did you?" Tom asked.

"Oh yes. I have full proof evidence," Severus replied.

"What are your names?" Tom asked, directing the question at Ra.

Everyone turned to look at him and Ra nearly gulped nervously. He raised his right hand and curled it into a semicircle before flicking his pointer finger outwards. Those around him looked confused, while the children behind him nodded in agreement.

"Can you speak?" Tom wondered aloud.

Ra quickly shook his head, frowning. Why would this man ask him that? None of them were allowed to speak. They were just pieces of meat used for the entertainment of others. Their voices weren't important at all.

"His name is Ra," Severus said quickly. "The others, if I remember correctly, are Sprite, Siren, Angel, and Faun."

"I never knew that Muggles used mythological names like we do," Bellatrix mused quietly.

Ra quickly shook his head and made a movement as if he was writing in thin air.

"Can you write?" Tom asked.

Ra nodded the affirmative. His eyes widened when, with a flick of his wrist, Severus summoned a piece of paper and a quill. Standing and taking them from the man, Ra sat down and quickly began to write. Severus watched him, his frown growing ever more deep. When he was finished, Ra handed the man the paper and sat back on his heels.

"He says that Ra isn't his real name, but the name that Mr. Tender gave him," Severus said.

"Why?" Bellatrix asked.

Taking back the paper, Ra quickly wrote out his answer and handed it back to Severus.

"He says that Mr. Tender didn't think they needed their real names," Severus read aloud.

All five of the boys nodded in agreement. Those that had been old enough to possibly remember their real names had been forced to forget them, all except Ra that is.

"That's horrible," Bellatrix cooed. "How long were you with this Mr. Tender?"

Ra held up all five of his fingers and pointed to himself. Next was Siren, who got seven fingers. Next came Faun and Angel, both got only three fingers. Sprite came last and he got two.

"I'm assuming that is in years, correct?" Tom asked.

The boys agreed.

"Tom, has Severus- oh, you're already here!" a blond shouted as he ran into the room.

"Lucius, how lovely of you to join us. Severus tells me that you and he were going on some sort of special mission without telling me about it first," Tom said, smirking wickedly.

Lucius gulped. "Y-Yes, Tom. I'm sorry that we didn't aler-"

"-You should always alert me about these things! When you hear rumors about something that is this monumental, you come to me first!"

Sprite grabbed onto the back of Ra's jacket, curling up against the larger boy's back. The other three all followed suit, trying to hide behind Ra, who just froze where he sat. Their eyes were all wide in fear.

"Tom, calm down please. I think you're scaring them," Severus said calmly.

All of the Death Eaters turned to look back at the cowering boys. Calming instantly, Tom took a hesitant step towards them. The four younger ones curled up even tighter into themselves, just in case the blows came. Ra, however, met the challenge head on. He stared up into the red eyes as the man knelt down to his level. He flinched when Tom grabbed his chin, but he fought down his panic.

"I feel like I know you from somewhere," Tom murmured. "Who are you?"

Ra tipped his head to one side, understanding. He felt a slight burn in his forehead, although it wasn't nearly enough to be painful. It was comforting, warm. He knew this man from his time before Mr. Tender, before even the hate. Reaching up, he pushed aside his long bangs, revealing the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. With a yelp, Tom leapt back, falling onto his ass. He stared at Ra with wide eyes, his whole body quivering.

"Tom, are you alright?" Severus cried.

"Y-You! I definitely know you! Oh Merlin! I thought you were dead for sure!"

Ra shifted uncomfortably where he sat. The hope that had stirred in his heart had sunk. Clearly this man had thought was dead, and probably wanted him to be. He tried not to show it on his face, but after years of being separated from the world he'd been born into, he'd hoped for some sliver affection of from his time there. After all, Padfoot and Mooney had probably forgotten him by now too.

"Tom, what's wrong? He's just some Muggle prostitute!" Bellatrix shouted.

Tom wildly spun around and, in a flash, Bellatrix was on the group, screaming. As the curse ravaged her body, the Dark Lord stood and threw her the most menacing glare he could. The other Death Eaters stood in shocked silence as Tom advanced on her.

"Don't speak that way about my heir again," the Dark Lord hissed.

Cutting off the curse, he walked back to Ra and laid a comforting hand on the boy's head. Nervously, Ra shifted closer and rested his forehead against the man's thigh, the tough mental walls that he'd built years ago threatening to break down. Tom ran his long fingers through Ra's hair, massaging his scalp.

"It's okay. No one is going to hurt you again. I promise."

Kneeling back down, Tom carefully took the boy's small hand in his own and squeezed in lightly.

"I promise Harry."

The boy who had been called Ra for so many years broke into sobs. Someone remembered him.

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin sat alone in the kitchen at 12 Grimmauld Place, silently sipping tea. In the center of the small table sat a broken wristwatch. It was a magical watch, charmed to record the exact time when important events occurred in the wearer's life. Sirius had been wearing that awful day when his and his mate's lives had come to an end, as they knew it. The watch hadn't worked since.

"It's almost nine o'clock," Remus murmured as he set down his teacup.

Sirius grunted in reply, crossing his legs under the table. Remus sighed and picked up the broken watch. He stared at the hands that had frozen at exactly 9:01 p.m. August 23rd. Today it was August 2nd, but it didn't matter. Waiting and watching for 9 o'clock to arrive every day had become a ritual for the couple.

"Do you think we'll ever find him?" Sirius asked.

"Of course we will!" Remus cried. "Don't think about giving up Siri!"

"It's been ten years Mooney. How in the world is he going to remember us?" Sirius replied.

"Harry always had the best memory out of the three kids. He's smart. He'll remember," Remus said, trying to reassure his mate.

Sirius huffed, but didn't reply. The two men sat in silence for a while longer until Sirius spoke once again.

"Do you think he's safe?"

"Honestly, I doubt it. Wherever those Muggles sent him, I don't think that it is a nice place," Remus admitted.

"He could be dead by now, Mooney!"

"Don't you dare say things like that! We will find Harry and we will bring him back! He is our godson, our pup! He's fucking Harry Potter! He doesn't belong on the streets, in an orphanage, or wherever the fuck they sent him!" Remus shouted.

Smiling a little, Sirius nodded at his mate. James and Lily's abandonment of Harry and his subsequent disappearance from the Dursleys's was the one topic that had always angered Remus beyond anything else. He had treasured the cute little boy, as had Sirius. Unable to have children on their own due to Remus's 'predicament', Harry had been the son they'd never had. Of course, they loved Michael and Alana, as well, but Harry was special to them.

"It's good to see you passionate still after all this time," Sirius chuckled.

Reaching across the table, he clutched his lover's hand, grasping the broken watch between them. "We'll find him. I know we will."


	4. Chapter 3: The Truth

A/N: More of Harry/Ra's past shall be revealed! Also, Michael is the Boy Who Lived. The second half of this chapter explains some of that. Thank you Thatsallwegot for noticing the rather big inconsistency about how the boys could contact Twiggy. I totally rushed the writing at end of this section so thanks for noticing it!

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Chapter 3: The Truth

Severus froze in shock. Heir? Harry? What was Tom talking about? Severus could sense some magic coming from the teen, but nothing substantial and not nearly enough to be considered a full-fledged wizard.

Leaning forward, Tom took the sobbing boy into his arms, cradling him softly. Burying his face in the man's shoulder, Ra hugged himself tightly with one hand, the other clutching the front of Tom's robes. The Dark Lord looked contently down at the dark-haired boy, rocking him slowly back and forth.

Slowly, the other four boys crawled over to him, huddling around Ra. They all stared up at the soft red eyes curiously. Tom shot them a small smile and beckoned them closer. With caution, the boys all reached out to touch Ra's back with their hands. Scooting in closer, they curled in on themselves, forming a giant mass of warm bodies.

"Tom? Who is that boy?" Lucius asked slowly.

Lightly grabbing Ra's chin, Tom lifted the boy's head and planted a soft kiss to his forehead. Ra's eyes slipped closed as Tom stood, carrying the small teen in his arms. Turning to the assembled Death Eaters, his red eyes flicked to the blond Malfoy.

"You all remember why I went to the Potters' house, correct?"

All of the Death Eaters, including Severus, nodded.

"The prophecy that drove me there told me of a young child that would destroy me. Foolishly, I ran straight into the trap and, in attempting to kill the brat, ended up being destroyed myself by his power. Everyone in the world believed that Michael Potter became the Boy Who Lived," Tom said.

Severus threw a quick glance at Ra, who had his face buried back in Tom's shoulder. The thin boy shivered slightly as the mention of the Potters. Frowning, Severus stepped up behind his Lord and brushed away the dark bangs that covered the boy's forehead. A scar, deep red in color, cut down the boy's forehead: a lightning bolt.

"The truth it though that Michael Potter did not destroy me," Tom continued, sensing the surprise radiating from Severus. "It was in fact his younger brother, Harry Potter; a small, one year old baby with black hair and vibrant green eyes. Unbeknownst to everyone around him, he became the one to 'save' them all."

"And he's-"

"-Harry Potter? Yes. He bares the scar on his forehead that I remember giving him all of those years ago," Tom interrupted. "There is no doubt in my mind."

"But my Lord, why then are you comforting the child?" Bellatrix yelled. "He's a threat-"

"-No longer! He already destroyed me once, making the prophecy null and void!" Tom shouted.

Ra –or rather, Harry- shivered uncontrollably in Tom's arms. The Dark Lord petted his back in comfort as the boys at his feet reached up to touch their figurative older brother. Even Severus, one who did not normally give any sort of emotional help, ran his fingers through the boy's dark locks.

"You see, Bellatrix, the prophecy was, I believe, misunderstood. 'One cannot live while the other survives.' Harry Potter destroyed the threat: the insane Lord Voldemort in order to bring back the sane Tom Riddle."

A murmur ran through the crowd of Death Eaters.

"When I tried to kill Harry, I gave him a scar on his forehead, marking him as the heir I could never have. He is magically my equal, possibly even my superior and you will all treat him as the prince he deserves to be," Tom finished.

"Tom, I can barely feel any magic radiating from the boy at all," Severus said quietly.

"And how come we've never heard of this earlier?" Lucius added. "We've been chasing Michael Potter as if he were a serious threat."

"The only reason you were supposed to go after Michael Potter was in order to get a sample of blood from the boy. As I took his brother for my heir, it makes us related," Tom explained. "Since Harry was nowhere to be found, I had to settle for the next best thing."

In his arms, Ra had finally started to calm down. Lifting his head, he looked apologetically up at the man, who just smiled down at him. Shifting in the man's grasp, Ra tried to get down, a sudden wave of embarrassment rushing through him.

"Don't worry Harry. It's perfectly alright," Tom whispered as he set the small teen down.

It was then that Severus got a good look at just how small Ra was. He barely reached Tom's shoulder, making him no more than five six or five seven at best. Severus himself towered over the boy that quickly glanced up at him before nervously flicking his gaze to the floor.

"Harry," Tom said slowly, "Why were you not with your parents? How did you end up in… that man's care?"

Ra shivered as his eyes widened at the questions. The four other boys at their feet whimpered and whined softly, clutching each other's hands.

"Tom, I think these are questions for another time," Severus said quickly.

"Quite right. The boys need to get settled in first. They will be living here with me, after all," Tom sighed.

The whimpering from the other four only grew louder. Tom and Severus frowned down at them and Ra tugged lightly on Tom's sleeve. Retrieving the paper from Severus's hand, he wrote down what he wanted to say and handed it to the Dark Lord. As he read, Tom's expression grew darker, causing the five young boys to cringe.

"No, Harry, I am not your master, nor are any of you my slaves. You're my honored guests, all of you, and you may stay with me as long as you wish," Tom replied, handing the paper back

Ra hesitated for a moment before silently nodding. The other four boys all stood, slinking over to hide behind Ra, also nodding. Tom threw them a smile and watched as Ra flipped over the paper and scribbled a quick question on it. The small teen held up the paper so he could see.

"You're tired? Of course, you would be. We can prepare some rooms for you," the Dark Lord said.

Ra glanced back at the other boys who were all shaking their head violently. Sprite made a series of hand signals and Ra nodded in agreement. He wrote what Sprite has said on the paper.

"You all want to share a single room? Are you-"

"-Tom, I'm sure its just so they all feel safe. They're in a new place with people they don't know. They want to stick together," Severus explained.

"Ah, yes. I'm sure we can work that out for you," Tom said. "Is there anything else you'd like? How about some food?"

The five boys shook their heads, their eyelids drooping from lack of sleep. Anger flared in Severus's chest as Sprite laid his head against Ra's side, his eyes slipping closed. It looked like none of them had had a good sleep in days. Deep lines cut below their eyes, rimmed with black.

"Severus, could you show them to the guest wing? Twiggy should have one ready for use," Tom instructed.

Severus nodded and glanced at the oldest of the five boys. Ra's eyes were wide a little in fear, although the rest of his face remained stoic and unchanged.

"You can trust me. I'm a teacher and a healer. I have no interest in young boys," Severus said, trying to calm the teen.

Slowly, Ra nodded, although Severus could tell he wasn't convinces. He trudged sleepily after the Potions Master as the dark man led them out of the hall. The other boys fell into line behind him, sticking close with no more than one small step between each of them.

The guest wing of Riddle Manor was as big as a house unto itself, a remnant of the days when guests used to stay for months on end. Severus himself had a room in the guest wing, but it was far away from any main parts of the house so that he could brew in peace. The floors were stone, but covered in elaborate Persian rugs. Moving paintings depicting past members of the Riddle family lined the walls. A single door, the nearest one on the right, was propped open, waiting.

"This will be your room," Severus said, motioning to the door.

The five boys gasped as they glanced into the room. It was just as elaborate as the corridor. A four-poster bed was pushed up against the far wall, adorned in silver sheets and at least six fat pillows. In one corner sat a chess set and in another, a few bookshelves and some comfortable chairs. Heavy drapes guarded the bay window that led out onto a small balcony. A thick, but inconspicuous rope hung down from the right side of the drapes.

"If you need anything at any time, all you need to do is pull on the rope next to the drapes and she will help you," Severus continued, to the watching as the boys slowly inched into their new home.

Ra glanced over his shoulder at the man and smiled a little in thanks while the three middle boys, Siren, Faun, and Angel, each inspected a different area of the bedroom. Sprite, who hadn't strayed from Ra's side, stepped over to Severus and pulled lightly on the sleeve of his robe. Severus looked down at the small boy who made a flurry of hand signals.

Frowning, Severus flicked his gaze up to Ra who snickered lightly, although Severus couldn't hear it. Giving the piece of paper that he'd used to communicate to Severus, Ra pointed to a series of letters."

H-E-S-A-Y-S-T-H-A-N-K-Y-O-U-F-O-R-S-A-V-I-N-G-U-S.

He says thank you for saving us. Severus's heart constricted a little as he met the deep green gaze of the young man before him. Ra nodded in agreement, smiling slightly. Glancing down at Sprite, who stared up at him with adoration, he reached out and ruffled the youngest boy's blond hair.

"You're welcome," he said softly, unaccustomed to being thanked.

* * *

Michael Potter had never forgotten his brother, not like his parents had. He didn't blame Alana for not remembering. She was only five when Harry had been sent away. Their parents, however, had Michael's full and unabated anger.

They had completely forgotten Harry even when the smaller boy had been living with them. All of their attention was focused on Michael and Alana. It didn't take him long to figure out that his brother was being neglected and he often reminded his parents to include Harry in family activities.

He had tried to be a good older brother, despite his fame and their parents. They had played together when their mother allowed it and he would help Harry through his nightmares and dreams. But by the time he was five and Harry was four, his younger brother had given up on their love.

It was a day that would never leave him. Mum and Dad had promised to take Michael and Alana to see Uncle Padfoot and Uncle Mooney at the small cottage they lived in. Michael, in his rush to see their beloved uncles, had run ahead through the Floo and only realized nearly half an hour later that his brother wasn't with the family, after Uncle Mooney had asked where the smaller boy was. Their parents had told him that Harry had asked to stay home. Mum and Dad had never lied to Michael before so he just assumed it was true, although he thought it strange. Both Padfoot and Mooney were Harry's godfathers, just as they were Michael's. After they arrived home that night, Michael had gone looking for his brother to share with him their godfathers' newest present. He'd found Harry sitting in his favorite corner in the attic, crying and alone. Michael had asked him what was wrong and Harry had shied away from him, saying things like 'Mum and Dad don't love me, so why should you?' Mum and Dad had just left Harry there. They hadn't even told him that they were leaving.

Even eleven years after that day, Michael still remembered it as clearly as if it had been five minutes ago. He shivered whenever he thought about it.

Today was his birthday, July 31st, the same day as Harry's. They had been born exactly a year apart, a miraculous event even in the Wizarding World. Padfoot and Mooney were due to arrive any minute and Michael was in the attic, perusing the family albums. Harry was only featured in the few first, which included pictures from the first year of the younger Potter's life. After that, the photos were sporadic and usually, he was in it only because he'd managed to squeeze himself into the background.

Finally, he came to the last picture that had ever been taken of his little brother. Pulling it out from the album, he held it up to the light. The photo had been taken by Neville's grandmother on Michael's seventh –and Harry's sixth- birthday. Of course, only Michael's had been celebrated by their parents. Michael had his arm slung over his brother's shoulder, pulling him in close as they posed for the shot. Mere seconds after the picture had been taken, Mum had come over and shooed Michael away to meet the Minister, leaving Harry alone once again.

Suddenly, he heard soft steps on the attic stairs and Michael looked up. Mooney poked his head into the attic, smiling when he saw his godson. The werewolf padded over to him, taking a seat next to the teenager. They both stared down at the picture in Michael's hand.

"You miss him, don't you?" Remus asked quietly.

Michael nodded, tears pricking at his eyes. Less than a month after that birthday, he had awoken to find his parents milling about the kitchen, Alana eating a bowl of cereal. The five-year-old had been chuckling and giggling as their father made faces at her. Michael had taken his own seat at the table, wondering where Harry could be. His younger brother had always woken up before him. After breakfast, he'd cornered his mother in the kitchen and asked about the younger Potter. Mum had smiled down at him and said, "Harry is no longer going to be living with us. He's gone to your aunt and uncle's. He was such a bad child, anyway."

"Why did Mum and Dad really send him away?" Michael asked. "Harry was always so well behaved, surely more than Alana or I were. He was so quiet, so shy, but when you got him riled up, he had a tongue like barbed wire and a mind like the world's strongest sealing charm."

"Sirius and I have been wondering about that for the past ten years. Your parents never gave us a clear answer," Remus replied.

"Where do you think he is?" Michael asked.

Five years prior, he had gone with Remus and Sirius to the Dursleys' house in order to retrieve his brother. The second year Michael had been thrilled at the idea of seeing his beloved brother again and had forced his uncles to take him with them. Harry was supposed to have started Hogwarts that year, but when Vernon opened the door, Michael's heart had sunk. He saw the hard, angry stare that his mother's brother-in-law had given each of them. When they asked to see Harry, the fat man had simply told them that they'd given him up the day he was brought to the house.

Sirius had raged for a while after that, throwing things and cursing the names of his best friends. Michael and Remus had been stunned, unable to comprehend what was going on. Vernon didn't know where Harry was, just that they'd driven him deep into London and threw him out of the car into an alley. A child had been lost; a wizarding child, no less, and the younger brother of the Boy Who Lived.

"We will find him, Michael. He'll come into his Inheritance as a Potter in only a short while. Your parents never disowned him so he'll still go through the changes. We will be able to track him then," Remus said softly, rubbing his godson's back.

"What if he doesn't remember us? What if he doesn't want to come home?" Michael cried.

"He will, Michael. You were too important to him for you to be forgotten easily," Remus said. "Come on, it's your birthday. Let's celebrate for the both of you."


	5. Chapter 4: First Breakfast

Sorry that it has been so long! I've been so busy lately with school, but there should be a MASSIVE posting of new material for most of my stories within the next week or so. Midterms are winding down now so it's not as crazy. I hope you enjoy this. I find Severus to be rather cute at times.

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Chapter 4: First Breakfast

Ra awoke slowly the next morning. Sitting up in the large, four-poster bed, he frowned, glancing down at his body. A strange ache had permeated into his body, from what he did not know. On Mr. Tender's orders, Ra had always been in good shape and athletic. The dance he'd done with Siren the night before shouldn't have left him winded, let alone sore.

Sighing softly, he ruffled Sprite's light blond hair. The younger boys were sprawled out around him, all still asleep. Sprite had been curled up against Ra's side like a kitten, his soft breath tickling the older teen's cheek. Faun and Angel were wrapped up in each other for additional warmth on Sprite's other side while Siren lay just beyond them. They had formed a protective sandwich, the strongest two on the outside and the younger ones on the inside.

There was a slight knock at the door and Ra bolted up out of bed. Rushing over to the door, he paused momentarily before opening it just a crack. He peeked out into the hall to find Severus waiting there. Smiling up at the man, he nodded once and pulled the door open further. The tall man sauntered into the room, glancing at the line of boys asleep on the bed.

"I suppose you slept well," he drawled quietly.

Ra nodded and scampered over to the bedside table for the everlasting quill and the parchment from last night. He quickly scrawled a message on it and held it out to the Potions Master.

"You don't need to thank me," Severus said. "Tom is the owner of the this castle."

Ra's eyes widened and he nodded furiously. He would most definitely thank the red-eyed man to the best of his abilities.

"Breakfast is going to be served soon if you wish to join us. It will only be Tom and myself, but don't feel pressured," Severus continued, hoping to not scare the boy.

With a smile, Ra hopped over to the bed and fiercely shook Siren's shoulder. The brunet slowly raised his head, eyes still drooping with sleep. Ra spelled out a series of words with his hands and the other boy nodded, sitting up to help wake the others. Severus watched from the far corner, astounded at the close relationship between the boys.

A few minutes later, Severus was leading the procession down to the dining hall. When they entered the room, six almost inaudible gasps could be heard from behind him. Tom sat at the head of the table, sipping a potion from a large golden goblet. The table was laden with foods of all kinds, probably more than the boys had ever seen in one sitting in their entire lives. Severus took the chair to Tom's right with Ra and Sprite beside him. The remaining three boys took the left side of the table. All of their eyes were fixed on the food.

"How did you sleep, boys?" Tom asked as he set down his goblet.

The six boys nodded their answer and Tom smiled.

"Very good. Now, feel free to eat. None of you had dinner last night as far as I know so you must be hungry."

Tentatively, the six boys filled their golden plates with eggs, bacon, toast, and a variety of different fruits. Severus watched out of the corner of his eye as Ra took a small serving before helping Sprite. He frowned a little, his eyes narrowing.

"Harry?" he asked quietly.

The young man turned to him, cocking his head to one side.

"You can take more than that if you wish," Severus said, motioning to Ra's plate.

Shaking his head, Ra signaled to himself and made a vertical cutting motion with his hand. Severus's frown deepened, understanding the basics of what he was saying.

"What is it Severus?" Tom asked.

"I think he's saying that he is not allowed to take more than that," Severus said slowly.

"Why?" Tom asked, frowning at his magical heir.

Ra blushed a little and pulled the piece of paper from his pocket. He quickly wrote a note and held it up. Tom hissed quietly under his breath.

"Harry, you don't need to worry about that any longer. Mr. Tender's rules no longer apply," he muttered angrily.

Ra's eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head, writing on the paper again. Severus leaned over to watch him as he wrote.

I-A-M-M-A-R-K-E-D.

"Marked?' Severus asked.

Ra lifted the bottom of his shirt, baring his abdomen to the two men. If it weren't for their Slytherin masks, they would have recoiled in anger. A word was inked just inside the left hipbone, the deep red color and the magic that emanated from it alerting the two wizards to its purpose.

"A contract mark," Tom said quietly. "What is it for?"

Ra paused, thinking about it for a moment. He glanced at Siren and they nodded to each other. Taking a deep breath, Ra opened his mouth in an attempt to speak. Nothing came out except for a whimper of pain as the dark-haired boy squeezed his eyes shut.

"So that's why you can't speak?" Tom asked.

Ra nodded and motioned to Siren. The slightly younger boy opened his mouth but from it erupted a scale of beautiful notes. As he continued to sing, words as black as night slowly appeared on his neck, written in scrawled Latin. Getting up from his chair, Severus slipped around the table to Siren, leaning down to inspect his neck.

"Be not the orator, but rather the musician," he translated. The Potions Master glanced at the other five boys assembled around the table. "So you can all sing, but you can't speak."

The boys all nodded fiercely, digging into their food.

"What does that achieve?" Tom asked.

"Also, why don't you just sing whatever you want to say?" Severus added.

Ra scribbled his answers and handed the parchment to Tom.

"Mr. Tender said that if we spoke we would displease our clients, but that singing well would make us worthy of them," the Dark Lord snarled. "Sick man."

Ra motioned for him to continue.

"He also said that we should only sing what is asked of us. Our opinions do not matter. The client always comes first," Tom read.

All six boys stared down at the plates before them, recoiling from the anger radiating from the two men.

"How could he do this to you, to young children?" Tom hissed. "I've given my Death Eaters contract marks in the form of their Dark Mark, but those were consensual!"

Severus shook his head a little, astounded.

"I wonder how he even did it," the Potions Master sighed. "Mr. Tender is a squib. Then again, Fudge, the most incompetent man in the world, managed to get in touch with him. He must be in contact with the Wizarding World somehow."

"I'll have to get Lucius on it," Tom snarled. "The fact that it is even considered tolerable to do such a thing sickens me."

"If anyone will find anything, it will be Lucius," Severus said in agreement. Noticing the quizzical look that Ra was giving him, Severus turned to the young man and asked, "Do you know what a contract mark is, Harry?"

The teen shook his head, although he straightened his back at the words. A flicker of excitement flitted across his face before it was buried beneath the cool mask he usually wore. Severus's mouth almost twitched. The boy was a keen learner it seemed.

"A contract mark signifies an important magical agreement between two people, usually that of master and servant, such as Severus and I," Tom explained.

Ra cocked his head to one side and nodded slowly in understanding. He glanced around at the other five boys, a frown spreading across his face.

"I don't know how he managed to make a magical contract with them, either. Muggles usually can't make such agreements since they have no inherent magic," Tom said slowly. "Do you remember the day he gave you those marks, Harry?"

The teen responded in the negative and the two wizards sighed.

"If I may, Tom, I'd like to take a closer look at the contract marks that Harry has. I may not be a Runes Master, but I do have some knowledge of these sorts of agreements," Severus said.

"That would be good, Severus. Thank you," Tom said as he picked up his goblet again. "Mind, I would search carefully for any sort of magic suppressors if I were you. Harry here was powerful enough to repel my magic when he was a year old, but I can barely sense any magic from him now. While you look at Harry, I'll show the rest of the boys to the front parlor. I think they could use an introduction to the rest of the house elves and perhaps even the owls. You can take the library. There are a few runes books in there that may be of help."

Severus nodded to the Dark Lord and turned back to Ra. "When you're finished eating, I'll examine your contract, alright?"

The boy's eyes brightened and he nodded vigorously before tucking into his meal once again. Severus ate at a much slower pace, eyeing the teen. Ra was small for his age, his hair dark and wild. He could see the strong resemblance to James Potter that he strangely hadn't noticed before. The boy even looked quite a bit like his brother, the insufferable brat Michael.

Sighing inwardly, Severus admitted to himself that the brat wasn't all that bad. His potions skills were lacking as were his overall grades, but he wasn't nearly the grandstander his father had been in school. Harry was even less so, quiet and gentle, much more like his mother. Upon looking closer, Severus could even see a faint resemblance to his once friend, Lily. Their eyes were the same shade of green and they had a similar stubborn chin.

When Ra had finished, the small teen waited for Severus's signal before silently slipping from his chair. He followed the Potions Master, his bare feet barely making a sound on the stone floor of Riddle Manor as they made their way to the library. Entering, Severus motioned for Ra to take a seat on the couch at the center of the round room.

"I'll just need to- Harry?"

Severus turned around to see the dark-haired teen biting his lower lip, knowing on it slightly. His hands were clasped in front of him and his green eyes lowered to the carpet.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked.

Shocked from his thoughts, Ra smiled at the man, nodding. Severus frowned.

"Don't lie to me," he said quietly.

Ra's smile dropped from his face and he shivered a little. Slowly, he got up down on his knees and crawled over to Severus, kneeling on the floor. He looked up at the Potions Master with pleading eyes. Shocked, Severus started to bend down too, but small hands grabbed his knees, forcing him upright.

"Harry, wh-"

He gasped as the boy grasped the buttons of his outer robes, skillfully slipping them from the holes. Before he could protest, the lower half of the robes were pulled open and the fly of his pants was down. Ra hooked his fingers in the hem of Severus's pants, starting to pull on them when a much larger hand grasped his wrist.

"What are you doing, Harry?" Severus asked.

Ra blushed a little, dropping his eyes to the floor again. The Potions Master was still using his real name. No one had ever done that before when he'd thanked them. It had always been just Ra.

Kneeling beside the boy, Severus took the pair of small hands in his own, clasping them tightly.

"Look at me, Harry."

The boy shyly raised his eyes, the blush spreading.

"What were you doing?"

Slipping his hands from Severus's, Harry made a short signal with his right hand, touching his pointer finger to his mouth and then moving it outward in a short line. Seeing the frown on the Potions Master's face, the boy mouthed his response.

_Thanking you for everything._

Severus groaned and his face dropped into his hand. He shook his head, raising it just enough to look up at Ra's confused face.

"You don't need to thank me that way, Harry. I am not expecting nor accepting that _sort_ of a… thank you."

Ra's eyes widened and he scrambled back away from the Potions Master. He bowed low on his knees, shivering slightly. He was in for it now.

Sighing, Severus stood and stared down at the scared down. This wasn't going as well as he'd hoped.

"Get up Harry and lay down on the couch. I need to look at your contract."

Leaping into action, Ra did as he was told, pulling up the hem of his shirt. As Severus leaned over to inspect it, the teen tensed, but slowly forced himself to relax. The Potions Master hadn't beaten him when he'd had his little indiscretion, as Mr. Tender called them. The man had been nothing but nice to him.

After a few moments, Severus nodded to himself and sat back on his heels.

"It is a complex one and old. Basically, it uses your ability to speak as a sort of tithe, or tax or sacrifice, whatever you want to call it, for the contract. However, unlike normal contract marks, this one is completely one-sided. Mr. Tender made it so that he himself didn't have to give anything up," Severus explained.

Ra nodded in understanding.

"From what I can see, this mark doesn't allow you to speak unless that bastard Tender allows it. We're going to have to find some way to break the contract if you, or any of the other boys, are ever going to be able to speak again."

Ra perked up instantly, his eyes widened. He would be able to speak again? He hadn't said a word since he was six. The idea thrilled and terrified him.

Standing, Severus motioned for Ra to as well. The teen slipped from the couch, keeping his eyes trained on the floor. His blush only deepened as he pulled his shirt back down again, playing with the hem.

"We'll have to go tell Tom. I'm sure we can find someone better to examine the contract deeper and break it for you all."

The dark-haired boy nodded. He would like that. Sprite and the others would be free.

"Now, that… thing you did earlier-"

Ra's head shot up, terrified.

"I don't want you to ever do that again if you don't want to," Severus said softly. "As I said before, you don't need to repay us for what we've done. You're Tom's heir and you deserve to be treated as such. Okay?"

Slowly, Ra nodded, ducking his head again. Severus sighed inwardly. He knew that this was as far as he was going to get for now, but at least it was progress.

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Like it? Review please! They are what make my world go round. When I get an alert telling me that someone has reviewed my work, I get all jittery and happy so review!


	6. Chapter 5: Lessons

**A/N: Look who's back! ME! I'm sorry this has taken a little while, but I've had a bit of writer's block so I've been writing other stories. I also realize this is a little shorter than my other chapters, but it is important to the story. There will be some big discoveries, some angst, and a tiny bit of fluff. REMEMBER: READ, REVIEW, REPEAT (WITH MY OTHER WORKS).**

**Peace.**

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Chapter 5: Lessons

Severus sat in the library, books stacked on the table before him. Sighing, he threw one aside and picked up another, searching for any reference to the runes used in Ra's contract mark. He glanced behind him at the young man who lay asleep on the couch, his chest rising and falling steadily. Severus had to admit that Ra was a beautiful thing with his pale skin and dark hair. The Potions Master had always had a weakness for the dark, mysterious and cute type.

Shaking his head, he turned back to his work. His eyes lazily scanned the page, trying to refocus his attention. Ever since the boy had propositioned him earlier that day, he had been distracted. He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like. Ra was, after all, a prostitute, trained in the art of pleasure and bodily entertainment. Then again, sex wasn't an unusual thing for the young wizard. Sleeping with Severus would just be another in a long line of men he had to repay throughout his life.

Finally, he gave up and set the book aside. Getting up from his chair, he walked over to the couch and sat down next to the curled up teenager. Feeling the shift in the pillows, Ra's eyes opened and he glanced up at Severus, smiling weakly. The Potions Master clasped his hands in his lap, sitting back against the couch.

"I am not sure how long it will take to break your contract mark, if ever. In the mean time, we need to find a better way to communicate than just written notes. They're very inefficient," he said.

His smile widening, Ra leapt up, facing Severus. He held out his hands, making a few motions with them. Seeing Severus's frown, the young man grabbed his hands and copied the signals he'd just made.

"You want to teach me sign language?" Severus asked.

Ra shook his head. He made a few more signs and mouthed, _Its not sign language._

"Then what is it? It looks like basic sign language to me."

Huffing, Ra touched his mouth with all five of his fingers before his hand dropped down to his chest, hitting it a few times. He lifted his other hand to his forehead, tapped it with his pointer finger, pointed to Severus and then shook his head.

_It's our own language. No one else knows it._

"Ah, I see. Tender never actually taught you guys how to communicate so you made up your own."

Ra nodded.

"I guess that at least being able to understand would make conversations easier," Severus said slowly.

Ra's nodding only increased after hearing that.

"Alright. How about we start with some basic words and phrases."

Michael, meanwhile, was drumming his fingers on the table, scowling heavily. Alana sat beside him, working on her summer homework. Every now and then, she would glance up at her brother, frowning when she saw the look on his face. Their parents were in the other room, whispering harshly to Remus.

Giving up, Alana set her quill aside and closed her bottle of ink. She looked to her older brother.

"What are they talking about?" she asked.

"There's someone that I need to go find, but Mum and Dad won't let me," Michael snarled.

"You're the Boy-Who-Lived, big brother. You can't just go running around the country with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named still running around," Alana said matter-of-factly.

"I don't care about him at this point!" Michael snapped.

"What's so important about this one person that you're willing to get yourself killed to find them?" Alana huffed, setting her fists on her hips.

Hesitating for a moment, Michael stole a quick glance at the door and motioned for his sister to follow. He led Alana to the other side of Grimmauld Place, trying to get as far from the prying ears of their parents. Reaching a small parlor, Michael closed and locked the door behind them. He sat down on a couch next to his sister, taking a deep breath.

"Do you remember me mentioning to you before about a boy named Harry?" he asked.

Alana nodded. "Vaguely."

"He's our brother," Michael said. "He's a year younger than me and a year ahead of you."

"Why doesn't he live with us then?" the fifteen year old girl asked. "Why don't I remember him?"

"Mum and Dad sent him away. They abandoned him with our aunt and uncle," Michael hissed.

"You mean Mum's sister that hates her?" Alana asked.

Michael nodded.

"But why?"

Michael sighed a little. "Mum and Dad didn't want him after what happened. They thought he was an inconvenience, but they still kept him around until he was six. Only then did they get rid of him and without telling me."

"You really loved him," Alana said.

"Of course. He was my younger brother and he was the opposite of me in almost every way. Where I was loud, he was quite. When I complained about getting hurt, he'd silently take it. When I chased after frogs in the backyard, he'd be sitting under the oak tree, reading some book of Mum's," Michael said. "You will like him."

"Isn't he still at our aunt and uncles? Why can't Uncle Padfoot just go get him?"

"He's not there, unfortunately. The day that he got there, our uncle abandoned him somewhere in London. He's been missing ever since."

"Since he was six?"

"Yep. Uncle Padfoot and Mooney have been trying to find him ever since we discovered he was gone, but there's been no leads yet. Even his magical signature is untraceable."

Alana sat back against the couch, eyes wide in shock. It was incomprehensible to her. Their parents had always been fair and kind to her. They included her in all of their activities and doted on her almost as much as Michael. She had no complaints, but what could she think now? Her parents had been downright cruel towards her other brothers, both of them. Normally, she was so forgiving of anything, but what her parents had done was quite possibly the first thing she could not let slide.

"What are you going to do then?" she asked.

Shrugging, Michael rubbed his forehead with the base of his palm.

"Uncle Mooney has called almost every homeless shelter and orphanage in the entire country. There are a few that we never got responses from so I was hoping to go search them with Uncle Padfoot," he said.

"But Mum and Dad said now," Alana finished.

"Yes."

"I'm surprised. This is the first time they've ever denied you something."

Michael laughed, nodding in agreement. Just then, Sirius opened the door and poked his head in. He smiled at Michael and motioned to him.

"Come on. We've got to go find your brother."

He stared up at the tall building before him, gulping a little. It looked so uninviting, so dark and… hollow? Was that the word he was looking for? The bricks of the building were covered in a thin layer of soot, as was the front door. The steps that led to the door were cracked in places, stalks of grass growing from each little jagged line. He could see the outline of a figure past the thin curtains that hung behind the windows on the first floor. Each window on the second floor and above was dark.

Sirius cleared his throat and Michael turned to look over at his godfather. Glancing up at the door, Sirius nodded to his godson and jogged up the steps, Michael and Remus close behind. The dark-haired Auror knocked on the door and rung the bell several times before someone answered.

"Hello?" the man who answered said, a faint surprised tone to his voice.

"Hi, we're looking for a boy, about sixteen years old," Sirius said. "Black hair, green eyes, probably a little on the short side."

"Yes. What of it?" the man asked.

"I was just wondering if you had a young man like that here. We'd like to talk to him," Sirius said.

"Adoption?"

"Well, yes, I guess you could call it that."

The man's face brightened for a moment as he ushered them inside. "Ah, yes I know exactly who you are talking about. How did you know he was here?"

Sirius and Remus glanced at each other as the man led them into the parlor that was just off the entry hall. Michael's gaze flicked to the ominous flight of stairs that led to the second floor. Taking a seat in a small arm chair, the man poured a steaming cup of tea.

"Would you like any?" he asked.

The three wizards shook their heads, taking a seat on the couch across from him.

"We didn't," Remus said, finally replying to the man's original question. "No one seemed to know exactly where he was."

"Oh, that will need to be rectified soon, well, as soon as I get him back, of course," the man sighed, sipping on his tea.

"Get him back?" Michael asked.

"Ah yes. He comes very highly recommended so there's lots of people who want to see him," the man said.

Michael nearly gulped at the implication behind the words.

"Due to the unfortunate circumstances, I cannot offer him to you right now, but I do have others who would love to meet you."

The man smiled politely as he set his tea aside and stood. He motioned for them to follow as he walked to the stairs. The ominous feeling in Michael grew as they trudged up into the darkness.

Opening the door at the top of the stairs, the man led them into a darkly lit room. It looked like a common area, a TV sitting in the corner. A few couches were spread around the room and Michael noticed that they were bolted down. Each cushion was wrapped in plastic. A few bookshelves held a myriad of heavily abused titles, most of them appearing to be children's books.

"Ra is-"

"Ra?"

"Yeah. That's his name. As I was saying, Ra is one of the kind and I don't have any others like him, but I can-"

"Wait, what?"

"I understand that Ra has quite the reputation, but some of my other boys are just as good."

Gritting his teeth, Michael rushed forward, grabbing the man by the collar. "What the fuck did you do to him? What did you do to my brother?"

"Brother?" the man cried as he shoved Michael away from him. "Ra is your brother?"

Sirius grabbed the man's arm, holding it tightly. He glared down at the man fiercely.

"We need to confirm this first, Michael. Do you have a photo of this Ra?" he asked.

The man nodded furiously and pointed to a small cabinet in the far corner of the room. Remus walked over to it and spelled the lock open. The man's eyes widened as he watched Remus take out the book and start to flip through it.

"Fuck, you're wizards," he snarled. "Look, I didn't know-"

"Shut the fuck up," Remus snarled, his wolf rising to the surface as he turned towards the other three.

His amber eyes glittered with anger and the werewolf stormed over to them. He threw the book at Michael, taking the man by the front of his collar. His fangs elongated as he snarled in the man's face.

"Merlin," Michael murmured, staring down at the open book in his arms.

The pages were covered in pictures of naked boys of various ages, some as young as eight or nine. All were in provocative positions, although crossed legs or the angles of their bodies hid their nether regions. In the lower right corner was a photo of a small teenager boy with long, wavy black hair. His pale skin was luminescent and shimmering. Thin, long fingers reached out towards the camera from where the thin boned boy lay on his back, legs bent and crossed. The vivid green eyes stared back at Michael. The teen in this photo was, without a doubt, his little brother.


	7. Chapter 6: Not Alone

A/N: Sorry that this one is so short. I just felt the need to post something, but separate it from the big drama of the next chapter. So to all of the loving fans: here you go! Keep posting those hilarious comments that you do.

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Chapter 6: Not Alone

It was late at night when Severus and Ra finished with their lessons. They had managed to create basic sentence structure after Severus had memorized some words and their signs. He could now sign out things like his name, his age, and some sort term form of goodbye and hello. He had discovered that the boys had no future tense in their system of signs, a sad reality check for the situation they had been in. There was a past and there was a present, but no future.

When they decided to stop for the night, Severus walked with Ra back to the dining hall. Severus didn't say anything, keeping his gaze staring straight ahead. The boy next to him was humming quietly, one of the two sounds that he was allowed to make. Severus didn't recognize the song, but it was pretty, mostly staying in a lower key and melodic.

As they approached the dining hall, sounds swelled to a great volume. Severus scowled and rolled his eyes as he caught a glimpse of blond hair streaking past the open door. Ra only grinned as he grabbed Severus's hand and dragged him into the hall.

Draco and surprisingly Bellatrix were chasing young Sprite around the room, the boy laughing silently. He dodged around other Death Eaters who milled about, quietly speaking among themselves. Sliding under the dining table, Sprite leapt up and resumed his race, Draco hot on his heels.

Feeling a slight tug on his sleeve, Severus glanced down at Ra. The teenager smiled and nodded, motioning to Sprite and the others. Rolling his eyes a little, Severus stepped over towards Tom. The Dark Lord was standing beside the other three boys, watching with fascination as they signed complex sentences to each other.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Tom asked as he continued to watch the boys.

"It is. Ra was teaching me some of it and it's surprisingly simple once you learn the basics," Severus replied.

"So you'll be able to read what they're saying?" Tom asked.

Severus nodded. "I figured that it would be easier than having them write out everything on paper."

"Did you make any progress on the runes used in their contract marks?"

"A little, but nothing substantial."

Tom gave him a sideways glance, eyes narrowing. "Did anything else happen, Severus?"

"No."

"You're lying to me."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are old friend. What happened?"

Severus glanced uneasily around the room. "Now is not the time, Tom."

Huffing, the Dark Lord shook his head and patted the Potions Master on the shoulder. "It was what he was trained to do, Severus. Don't take it personally. You're getting soft on keeping up your guard. I can see holes in your mental walls."

With a snarl, Severus quickly fixed his shields, running his fingers through his dark hair. Beside him, Ra had taken to chatting with Sprite, who had finally worn out both Draco and Bellatrix. Neither of the boys seemed to be listening.

Suddenly, Lucius Malfoy came running into the room. Everyone looked up as the blond man rushed towards Severus and Tom, a piece of paper clutched in his hand. The usually clean and orderly man was disheveled, his hair wild and slightly tangled. Soot clung to his robe from the fireplace he'd just come through and the collar of his shirt was strangely wrinkled.

"Important news, my Lord!" Lucius panted as he handed the piece of parchment to the Dark Lord.

Taking it from the blond, Tom unfolded the paper and started to read. His eyes grew steadily wider as he read, peaking the interest of everyone around him.

"You're sure about this?" Tom asked, glancing over the top of the parchment at Lucius.

The blond nodded wildly, the signature Malfoy composure completely gone. Folding the paper, Tom sighed a little, running his fingers along the crease. He glanced over at Ra, who tipped his head to the side in a silent response. Handing the paper over to the mute boy, Tom nodded in encouragement.

"It's good news."

Ra started to read, frowning in confusion. The tip to his head became more pronounced as time slowly passed, everyone eyes glued on him. When he came to the end, Ra let out a squeak and dropped the paper, backing away from it. He started to wildly shake his head, clutching his hands over his ears. While Tom moved to pick up the paper, Severus wrapped Ra in a tight hug, ushering the boy back over to the Dark Lord.

Tears were flowing freely over Ra's face, even though his green eyes were squeezed shut. Tom watched the boy sadly, wiping away the tears with his thumbs. Severus's grip on Ra tightened as the boy thrashed a little before settling down.

"Harry," Toms said softly, "Isn't this good news?"

Looking unsure, Ra opened his eyes and glanced up at the Dark Lord. The tears were still coming, although they were slowing a little. Raising his shaking hands, he made a series of signals, whimpering slightly.

"I'm sorry, Ra, but I don't enough yet to translate that," Severus murmured.

Snatching the paper from Tom's hands, Ra looked around for a quill. A lower Death Eater approached, holding a quill out to the boy and holding a small pot of ink in the other hand. Dipping the quill in the ink, Ra quickly scribbled a note on the back of the parchment, holding it out to Tom. Reading, Tom sighed and nodded. He reached out and ruffled Ra's black hair.

"Clearly they didn't though, did they?" he asked. "They remember and they want to see you. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Slowly, Ra nodded and snuggled back against Severus. The Potions Master ignored the nice feeling that the small, but warm body gave him, focusing all of his attention on the immediate concerns.

"Would you like to see them?" Tom asked.

Ra nodded before he buried his face in Severus's black robes. Turning to the Death Eaters, Tom drew a steady breath and said, "We will be welcoming some important guests soon and I want you all to leave them in peace while they are here. They will be our heir's guests and deserve all of your respect. Severus, you will meet them at Spinner's End and escort them here."

"Who is it?" Severus asked tentatively.

Tom glanced down at Ra, his gaze soft and kind. "It seems that not everyone in Harry's family has abandoned him. They will be at Spinner's End tomorrow, they said. We'd best prepare ourselves for them."


	8. Chapter 7: A Hint of Magic

**A/N: Yes yes yes, I know it has been too long since I last updated ANY of my stories. Thankfully, midterms are coming up so the massive amounts of homework are starting to wind down so I might have some more time to write. I plan on finishing at least one of my other stories soon so I can start some new ones eventually. I hope you like this chapter. REMEMBER: READ, REVIEW, REPEAT!**

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Chapter 7: A Hint of Magic

Several days later, Severus woke up more nervous than he had ever before in his life. Not even his school years, where he'd been tortured to the older Potter and his gang, could compare. He knew that the Dark Lord had been purposefully vague the day before. The man had a love for dramatics, especially if it was to keep Severus in suspense. He was quite sadistic in fact; how couldn't he be, with a title like the Dark Lord?

Throwing aside the hot comforter and sheets that covered him, Severus sat and sighed. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, rubbing the back of his neck carelessly. The bones in his shoulders and spine cracked back into place, his knees joining the chorus as he rose up onto his feet. He may have only been in his late thirties, but Severus found that age was starting to affect him already. Perhaps it was the fact that he hardly slept when he was at Hogwarts. He just could never get comfortable there. The school that had once been his haven had been tainted after he'd discovered the absolute wretchedness that had possessed the Light in the form of Albus Dumbledore. Add to that, there were annoying little children running around stupidly blowing up cauldrons and unable to tell their right hand from their left. Utter stupidity.

Throwing open the armoire door, the Potions Master tugged one of his signature black robes from the hanger. He set it on the chair beside the armoire and unbuttoned his white nightshirt. Folding the shirt, he set it in a basket for the house elves before he grabbed a pair of clean black slacks from the shelf in the armoire. Changing out of the sleek silk trousers he wore to bed each night, he slipped on the slacks with ease.

He shut the armoire door to stare in the mirror on the back of it. He ran a finger over the scars that adorned his upper chest, left behind by once-bleeding, deep cuts. A shiver ran up his spine as he thought about each scar and how he'd gotten them. Most were old, from when he was a child. His father had loved belting him for no real reason. A few, however, were much newer, the result of misfired spells and nasty curses.

Sighing, he dropped his hand to his side and was reaching over to grab his shirt when there was a knock at the door. Snarling under his breath, Severus stormed over to the door and threw it open. He instantly felt bad. Sprite scampered away in terror, running down the hall as quickly as he could. Sighing, he threw his shirt on over his head and dashed after the small boy.

Inwardly cursing at his own stupidity, he skidded across the hardwood floors and tried not to trip over the expensive Persian rugs that adorned the upper levels of the manor. Every now and then, he'd catch a glimpse of a flash of white disappearing around a corner and he would dash after it, hoping to catch the frightened boy.

He finally caught Sprite at the grand staircase, leaping down the last few steps to skid to a stop beside the boy. Sprite's wide, blue eyes stared up at him as the boy abruptly stopped, quivering in fear. Sighing again, Snape gently clapped the small boy on the shoulder and knelt down in front of him.

"It's okay. I just have a bad temper in the mornings," the Potions Master said as gently as possible. "I wasn't angry."

Sprite stared at him in disbelief, his mouth set into a firm line. Slowly, the boy nodded and set his small hand over Severus's patting it. Snorting in amusement, the man stood and ruffled the boy's blond locks with his free hand.

"So, what did you want when I scared the hell out of you?"

The boy's eyes brightened as he suddenly remembered his original objective. He hopped from foot to foot and pointed in the direction of the dining hall before rushing off in that same direction. Rolling his eyes, Severus set off after the boy, striding confidently and quickly.

The Dark Lord stood in the middle of the dining hall, his normal throne abandoned. His face was dark and heavily lined as he thought deeply. Sprite was beside him, staring up at the serious man with keen interest. The moment that Severus stepped into the room, Voldemort looked up and nodded once to him. He shooed Sprite away, who skipped off towards some unknown location.

"I thought you would scare him," the Dark Lord snickered humorously as he stepped up onto the dais where his throne sat.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Severus shook his head in fake anger. "You sent him on purpose."

"Of course. I know all about your morning temperament, Severus as well as your feelings for those young boys. You're protective of them," the Dark Lord said as he took his seat.

"I won't argue with you over that," the Potions Master replied. "Now, what were you thinking so hard about?"

"The meeting this afternoon," Voldemort said.

"What about it?"

"This is the first time Harry will see his beloved family in years."

"And this is worrying to you?"

"You saw what happened when I called him by his real name that first time. Just imagine what will happen when he sees Michael."

"Michael, as in Michael Potter? Why is that little brat- "

"He, Sirius Black, and the werewolf, Lupin approached Lucius yesterday afternoon asking to see Harry. They came to the Manor and waited at the edge of the wards for him. Michael was most adamant. Lucius was surprised that he wasn't on his knees begging to see his brother."

Severus raised one eyebrow in surprise.

"Surprising, isn't it?" the Dark Lord laughed. "It would seem that Michael Potter loves his younger brother more than Dumbledore and his group of half-wits, even though they gave him Harry's title and everything he could ever want."

"What about his parents?" Severus asked, thinking of his long-lost friend and her bastard of a husband.

"Lucius asked him about that as well. All three, Michael, Black, and Lupin, have forsworn both James and Lily as their parents or friends. They only ask that we leave his sister Alana alone," Voldemort replied.

"Hm. Who knew that the Potters would unravel over a single son," Severus mused.

"I know, but Michael seems to love his brother more than his parents. They abandoned him, you know; their parents, I mean. James and Lily Potter dropped Harry off with her muggle sister and her husband ten years ago. How Harry got from their house to Tender's, they don't know. Not even Tender himself could remember how Harry came into his possession," the Dark Lord sighed.

"He hasn't told me how either," Severus quickly added.

"That's not surprising either. He may trust you as much as me, but I fear it will take a long time for him to truly open up to us. Ten years in a… whorehouse certainly doesn't make one talkative," Voldemort replied.

Severus nodded in agreement. "When are we meeting with the br- with Michael and the others?"

"One o'clock tomorrow. I told them to apparate to the edge of the wards and we'd let them in when we arrived. You can't be too careful," the Dark Lord said.

"Agreed."

Believing the conversation to be over, Severus turned away.

"Oh, Severus?"

The Potions Master glanced back over his shoulder at the Dark Lord.

"Yes?"

"Be nice."

Rolling his eyes, the Potions Master stalked off towards the library. Slipping into the warm room, he closed the door behind him and headed over to the table he'd occupied the day before. Sitting down in the chair, he pulled a tome on runes towards him, flipping it open carelessly. He hunkered down in the chair and began to read, mumbling quietly to himself.

He was halfway through the first chapter when he sensed something strange. It was a hint of magic, tickling at the skin on his hand and making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Slowly, he raised his head and looked around. No one else was in the library with him as far as he could see, but then again, he hadn't spent all of those years as a spy and learned nothing.

Standing, he stepped over towards the bookcases, abandoned the tome on the table. Slowly and quietly, he walked along the first row, dark eyes searching. Through the rows of books and shelves, he saw a small form kneeling next to the back wall. His back was turned towards Severus. The Potions Master recognized the mop of dark hair. Silently stepping up behind the boy, he watched as the teenager focused intently on the small ball of green light in his hands. Black eyes widened as he realized what the light was.

"Harry!"

Ra jerked out of his thoughts, hands flailing apart as he fell back into his butt. The last hints of green light quickly disappeared from the boy's hands as he looked over his shoulder at Severus. He scrambled up, shaking slightly as he stood before the Potions Master, head lowered.

"What were you doing?"

Ra started to shake a little more, long tresses of black hair hiding his face and eyes. His hands were clenched in front of him.

"I'm not mad. Just tell me."

Slowly, Ra lifted one hand and made a quick sign, one that Severus did not recognize.

"What does that mean?" he asked, frowning.

Ra glanced up at him through his bangs and Severus sighed in reply. Pulling out his wand, he summoned a piece of parchment and a quill. He held them out to the boy, who snatched them away. If the Potions Master had been an ordinary man, he may have even laughed at the boy's antics. Ra quickly scribbled a single word on the parchment and handed it back to Severus.

"Freakishness? What the hell are you talking about?" Severus asked, flicking his gaze up to Ra.

The boy gulped and pointed to the wand in Severus's hand, then to his own hands.

"You mean magic?" Severus asked.

Ra nodded and took back the paper. He wrote a reply.

_I don't use the stick like you and the others do, but I can make strange things happen too, though that was the first time I've ever controlled it. It's called my Freakishness._

"It's called magic, Harry and its not strange or… freakish. It's a normal talent for a wizard."

The boy's large green eyes stared up at him in shock. Then, he suddenly frowned and looked down at his hands. Clenching them, he looked back up at Severus and motioned for the parchment. Severus watched as the boy wrote a few more sentences.

_That wasn't what my uncle called it and he said it was strange and abnormal. Magic is for good people like wizards. I'm not a wizard. Wizards go on adventures and save people like in books. I'm not good, I don't go on adventures and I don't save people._

"Yes you are. You were born to a wizard and a witch. Unless you were born completely without magic, you are then a wizard as well," Severus sighed. "And you are good. Don't think less of yourself because of what men like Fudge think of you."

Ra frowned heavily and shrugged before handing the parchment back to Severus.

"How were you doing that anyway, the light I mean?"

Tipping his head to the side a little, Ra's eyes lit up a little and he looked back down at his hands. Cupping them together, he furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. Slowly, a small green light appeared in the middle of the cup made by his hands, floating. It grew stronger as Ra continued to stare at it. Suddenly, the light started to wave and quiver, separating into long tongues of fire that tossed moving shadows onto the back of Ra's hands.

Noticing the sweat dripping from the boy's forehead, Severus placed a hand on his shoulder in a silent command to stop. Ra let his hands drop to his sides as he looked up at the tall Potions Master.

"I should have known you would still be access your magic despite the block they put on you. You are Tom's successor, after all," he said softly.

When he saw Ra's look of confusion, he explained, "From what I've managed to decipher so far, there is a magic suppressor built into the contract mark on your hip. It prevents you from being able to access it in any way and should have blocked even accidental magic, but it sounds like you've had… incidents in the past, yes?"

Ra nodded furiously.

"My guess is that when we eventually take this suppressor off of you that you may be as power if not more powerful than Tom himself."

The green eyes grew in size as the prospect. Reaching up, Severus ruffled his dark hair lightly.

"Don't worry. Between Tom, Lucius, and myself you'll be able to use your magic as well as any of us and better than most. You'll surpass your brother and sister by far."

Ra suddenly grabbed at the front of Severus's shirt, pulling his smaller body against the Potions Master's. Blinking in surprise, Severus looked down at the boy. A faint glimmer of hope shone in Ra's eyes at the thought of his brother and sister, a shine that almost made Severus want to smile.

"Yes, you will see him again. I can promise you that."

Smiling widely, Ra hugged Severus tightly around the waist, squeezing his body up against that of the taller man. Severus gulped slightly and patted the boy's back, willing his heart to calm down. Thankfully, Ra quickly pulled away and trotted in the direction of the table. Severus slowly brushed his hand along his stomach, feeling the warmth from the body that had been there.

Sensing someone's eyes on him, Severus looked up to see Ra staring at him. The boy tipped his head to the side like a dog and motioned for Severus to follow, trotting away like a cat that caught the canary. Severus quickly followed him, eager to get back to work. He wasn't comfortable with the feeling that had wormed its way into his heart.


	9. Chapter 8: The Reunion

**A/N: I'm getting back into the swing of things. Thank you Spring break! Hopefully everyone will enjoy this chapter since... well... Remus, Sirius, and Michael are going to be in it! Remember: READ, REVIEW, REPEAT!**

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Chapter 8: The Reunion

Severus and Ra stood outside the door, waiting. The teenager was twiddling his thumbs and twitching nervously, his face deathly pale. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that had once belonged to Draco, although they were too small for him now. They were still big on Ra's tiny form. Severus had to admit that the boy looked rather cute, not that he would say such a thing out loud.

Sighing, the Potions Master folded his arms over his chest and clenched his teeth. He was starting to get impatient. What was taking so long? Feeling someone's gaze on him, he looked down to see Ra staring at up him, green eyes wide. The boy's lips were pulled back in a tight line as he bit softly on his upper lip, giving him a slight saddened turtle look.

Reaching out, Severus patted the teenager's dark hair. The teen nuzzled at his hand, practically purring at the soft feeling of the touch.

"We'll see them soon," he reassured the boy.

The worried look returned to Ra's face and he made a few signs that Severus recognized.

"No, I wouldn't worry about that. Potter said he wanted to see you. No one would ask their greatest enemy for that unless he wanted to see you," Severus replied. "That boy is brutally honest, I have to say, although he is still an annoying little prat."

Ra silently snickered next to him and signed out his thanks, drawing a small smile from the older man. The boy had grown exceedingly more and more nervous as the day had moved on. Severus had noticed as they ate breakfast that the teenager's hands had been shaking as he lifted a piece of fruit up to his mouth. Finally, it seemed that he had relaxed somewhat although the Potions Master knew the nervousness wouldn't completely go away until Ra was sure that Michael loved him.

Suddenly, the door beside them was flung open, knocking Severus out of his thoughts and making Ra jump slightly at the loud bang that it made. Draco stuck his head out, smiling at them, beckoning Ra towards him.

"Come on Ra. Some people want to see you!"

Taking a deep breath, Ra paused for a moment, glancing over at Severus. When the older man nodded to him, the boy turned to follow Draco into the room. His eyes were fixed on the floor as he entered the sitting room, hands clasped behind him. His terror was evident, rolling off of him like waves ricocheting off a wall.

"Harry!" Michael Potter shouted as his brother came into the room.

Ra looked up cautiously, a spark of surprise on his face. Severus smirked. It seemed that Ra didn't even think his beloved brother would remember his name.

As the situation started to sink in, Ra's frown quickly turned to a look of pure joy. He gave a silent laugh, raising his head as he charged his brother. The two dark-haired boys met in the center of the room, Michael grabbing his brother around the waist to pick him up and swing him round. Ra giggled in silence, his arms clutching his older brother's shoulders. When Michael finally came to a stop, he set down his brother and pushed him away a little to get a better look at him. Ra blushed slightly under the scrutiny of his brother.

"Hi little brother," Michael chuckled, grabbing Ra's shoulders.

Ra's smile grew even wider and he grabbed his brother around the waist, hugging him tightly. Michael ruffled Ra's wild hair, turning to look over his shoulder.

"Moony, Padfoot! Look!" the teenager cried happily.

Remus and Sirius smiled back at him, stepping over to the boys. Ra clung to his brother as he glanced around his body at the two men. His eyebrows shot up and he quickly let go of Michael to charge his godfathers. The two men swung him up between them, practically squishing the smaller teen between them.

"Hey, cub, we- hey, hey! No tears, okay? This is a happy occasion!" Remus said.

Ra nodded, wiping away the tears with a finger as the men set him down. They took turns ruffling his hair like Michael did, messing up the already wild locks even more than before. Sirius was especially enthusiastic in his hair rustling, the force of his movements practically shaking the boy's head.

"How are you, cub?" Remus asked.

Ra grinned up at him and signed a response. Remus, Sirius, and Michael all glanced up at Severus, who stood in the doorway. Lucius had already briefed them a little on Ra's inability to speak.

"He says that he's never felt better. He's glad to see you," Severus translated.

Stepping over to his godson, Sirius pulled the small teenager into a tight hug. Ra stiffened for a moment, but quickly relaxed when he heard a soft sniff from the dark-haired man. Smiling against Sirius's robes, Ra clutched his long-lost godfather tightly, squeezing his eyes shut. Sirius buried his nose in Ra's soft, dark hair, running his fingers through the long tresses.

"We've missed you so much, Harry," Sirius murmured. "We were lost without you, all three of us."

Ra pulled away from Sirius so he could look up at him. Slowly, he reached up before gently flicking his godfather's forehead. Wrinkling his nose, Sirius gave him a mischievous grin and violently began ruffling Ra's hair again.

"You're still a cheeky little guy," he cackled.

Ra silently laughed along with him and pulled Sirius into another hug. He waved to Remus, who rolled his eyes at them and came over. Together with Michael, the three taller men engulfed the smaller teenager, encasing him in warm comforting security. Ra grinned up at him, his smile practically blinding.

Severus stood in the doorway, watching. His heart ached a little. On one hand he was glad for the boy. Ra needed love and validation from the family that he thought hadn't loved him. His parents had abandoned him with people who abandoned him again before Tender found him.

On the other hand, however, Severus deeply wanted to be the one holding the small teenager, comforting him.

That, of course, he knew was a long shot. Ra –Harry, rather- had his family back and after Severus decoded the details of the contract mark on Harry's hip, the boy wouldn't need the old Potions Master anymore.

Sighing silently to himself, Severus stepped into the room, black robes billowing behind him. The group broke away from each other, all four turning to Severus. Ra walked over to Severus and grabbed his hand, pulling him over to the other three. Severus bit back a sneer at Sirius and Remus, who both fidgeting in his presence. Michael's attitude was completely different. He was beaming at Severus, his happiness radiating from the smile that adorned his face. Glancing down at Severus and Ra's adorned hands, his grin grew even bigger.

"Thank you so much for saving my brother," Michael said, his voice full of reverence.

Taken slightly by surprise, but refusing to show it, Severus nodded to the older teenager. "He was in a situation that no one deserved to be in."

"And you did what any decent person would have and I know that there aren't many decent people in the world," Michael replied.

Severus held back another sneer. "No reason to get sentimental, Potter."

Ra tugged on his hand, frowning. Glancing down at the younger teen, Severus faked a sigh and nodded. Michael smirked at the Potions Master, crossing his arms over his chest. Remus, who quickly caught on to what Michael was thinking, straightened his back and a slightly amber tint appeared in his eyes. His wolf had always been protective of his cubs and despite the years that had passed, this fact had not changed.

"Be nice, Snape," Sirius teased. "We don't want you to get a bad reputation."

Severus snarled back at the man, but quickly stopped when Ra pulled on his hand again. He looked down at Ra. The boy smiled weakly at him, his eyes filled with a pleading look. Severus gave him a small nod. As he lifted his head back up, he quickly reapplied his mask of indifference and let go of Ra's hand, letting his fall to his side.

"Ra, I'm sorry, Harry, has told me that he has wondered about you three for a long time. He said that thoughts of you were part of the reason why he survived," Severus said.

Michael's eyes watered a little, but he quickly brushed them away. Clasping his younger brother on the shoulder, Michael said, "I've wanted to find you for years, little brother. Can you forgive me for letting James and Lily do that?"

Ra tipped his head to one side a little, frowning. He quickly signed a reply.

"He asks why you're asking for forgiveness. He says that what happened wasn't your fault," Severus translated.

"He's right, you know," Remus added. "There was nothing you could have done to change their minds, Michael. Lily and James, I hate to say it, had probably been planning on abandoning Harry long before they did it."

Sighing sadly, Michael nodded. He grabbed his younger brother's hand and pulled him towards the couch on the far side of the room. Forcing Ra down beside him, the older teen grinned and said, "Why don't you and Snape tell us what you've found so far?"

Ra brightened and quickly began to sign, Severus translating for him all the while. Remus and Sirius exchanged a glance, which went unnoticed by the teenagers and the other man. Sirius raised one eyebrow at his best friend and Remus smirked in reply. Frowning, Sirius glanced over at Severus, who was watching the two boys. Eyes widening, his head snapped back to Remus, finally catching up with Remus. The werewolf smirked at him and, without needing to say anything, a silent message was exchanged.

Severus liked their young cub and it seemed that their cub liked Severus back.

What was to be done now?

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**Like it? Hate it? Love it? Please review no matter what the case!**


	10. Chapter 9: Frustrations

**Response to Guest's questions: Yes. Remus, Sirius, and Michael do know about what happened to Harry. They were the ones who went to Tender's and saw the photo album in Chapter 5. The fate of Lily and James is currently being avoided for now since they don't know that Michael went looking for his brother, but their destiny will be discussed soon. **

**Finally, I'm posting this chapter. I've been working on this on and off for what seems like FOREVER! Anyway, READ, REVIEW, REPEAT!**

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Chapter 9: Frustration

A week later Harry sat in the parlor with his rediscovered family, basking in their attentions. He'd been somewhat shy at first, blushing at their compliments and hiding his face in their sides like a child. Eventually though, he'd grown used to them once again, laughing silently at Sirius's jokes and whenever Remus would hit him for them. He cuddled with his brother, Michael accepting the close contact with a smile and no criticisms or whining. The older boy had returned his hugs with even more enthusiasm than Harry put into them, nearly squeezing the life out of his brother several times.

Sometime around ten o'clock, Michael shockingly fell asleep, one hand clutching Harry's. It made the younger boy smile when he saw their hands clenched around each other's, their skin tones matching perfectly. He had missed his brother dearly. Michael had always protected him, took care of him when he lived with them. He made sure that his brother ate, that he had something to do during the day, and that he was taken along on family outings. Michael had been the most important person in Harry's early life up until the point where he was forced to grow up.

Sighing softly, Harry turned onto his side on the couch, his legs curled up to his chest. Michael leaned back against the cushions that Harry sat on, his legs spread haphazardly across the expensive rug. Sirius and Remus sat in two chairs, quietly conversing while the older boy slept and the younger drifted from thought to thought.

Hearing his sigh, the two men glanced over at Harry, curious. He shot them a smile and a silent laugh, motioning to where Michael was clutching his hand. Sirius grinned widely and barked with laughter. Snapping a hand over his friend's mouth, Remus glared at Sirius.

"Be quiet, you idiot. There's no need to wake him up with your barking," Remus snarled playfully.

"Aw, but Remus-"

"No, Sirius. I know that you can barely control your level of volume, but please try to refrain," the werewolf sighed.

Harry's smile grew wider as he watched the two men. He'd known since he was a young child that they were together. They'd always visited the family together, went home together, and whenever Harry stayed over, he would climb into their bed for a cuddle and the warmth. It didn't bother him at all. They loved each other more than anything else.

Something caught in his throat and Harry pulled his legs tighter against his body, a sudden sadness washing over him. He may have been at the manor for only a few days, but he had become quite attached to Severus, more so than he probably should. The dark man had been with him nearly every waking moment since he'd transported the boys from that hell-like room at Fudge's house. Whether it was Severus reading some heavy tome to search for some unknown rune or Harry was teaching him the silent language that he and the other boys had created, they were always doing something and it was always together.

Since his family's arrival, Severus had made himself scarce most of the time, spending no more than a few minutes a day with Harry. While Lucius tried to reassure him that the dark-haired man was just busy, Harry wasn't so sure. He didn't understand really. Before, they had been sort of like Sirius and Remus, but without the love.

He nearly gasped when he realized what was missing: love. Severus didn't love him, or at least not like Harry loved him. The small teenager knew that Severus liked him on some level. Severus had spent time with him, after all. No one had done that without paying for years as long as you excluded the other boys that he'd lived with. His heart sank at the thought that Severus didn't love him, but it hurt when he wondered if the man had became annoyed with the teen and decided to abandon him while he was distracted.

If he hadn't been so well trained to not show such emotions, Harry would have pouted. Instead, he pulled the blanket that had been draped over his shoulders a few hours earlier tighter around him, burying his face in the soft fabric. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Harry?"

Jerking up, the small boy glanced over at the two adults. They both fixed him with an expression that he couldn't read. He tipped his head a little to the side, silently questioning them.

"Are you alright?" Sirius asked in a surprisingly soft voice.

Nodding vigorously, the teenager tried to smile again, but he found it painful. Remus glanced at Sirius before he stood and came over to sit beside Harry, taking a seat on the edge of the couch. Reaching under his blanket, he took his free hand, squeezing it gently.

"Something is wrong," he said. "You never could lie to us, not even when you were a child. I remember this one time, you were at our house for the night and you accidentally knocked over a glass of milk. You scurried around to clean it up before I knew. Some of the milk dripped off the edge of the table, I guess and got in your hair because when Sirius and I tucked you in that night, your hair was sticky. When I asked you about it, you tried to tell us that you must have gotten something in it while playing in the backyard that afternoon. We both knew you were lying though and after a little coaxing-"

"-And a cookie!" Sirius quietly chimed in, fighting to stay quiet so he wouldn't wake Michael.

"-You finally told us," Remus chuckled. "So come on, puppy. What's wrong?"

Harry glanced down at the cushions beneath him, pulling the blanket up tight against his chin. He thought for a moment, searching for what to tell them. Slowly, he sat up, carefully dropping Michael's hand down onto the rug beside him. Sitting forward, Harry grabbed the quill and blank paper that rested on the small coffee table beside the couch. He scribbled his response, handing it over to Remus with a shaking hand.

A small smile adorned the werewolf's face as he read, letting go of Harry's left hand to run it through the small teenager's dark hair. Harry kept his gaze glued to his secondary godfather, eyes ready to water at the first instance of rejection. In his chair on the other side of the rug, Sirius was grumbling a little under his breath, although Harry didn't pay him any attention.

When he was finished, Remus put the paper aside and ruffled Harry's hair violently with both hands, practically shaking the teenager's head. Green eyes stared up at him with curious suspicion and he laughed.

"I already knew that, puppy. There's no reason to feel ashamed. You'll be seventeen in a matter of weeks, an adult in this world. Things like this happen," the werewolf said.

Harry nodded weakly, shuffling on his knees over to the older man. Remus hugged him close and buried his nose in the dark hair. Sirius shifted uncomfortably in his chair, clearing his throat to draw their attention to him.

"So, you like the sniveling bat, huh?" Sirius said slowly.

Hunching his shoulders, the teen beside Remus nodded. Sirius paused for a moment, thinking. He tented his fingers together, resting them against his upper lip. He met Remus's warning stare, his mouth twitching behind his hands.

"Do you want us to help you get him, puppy?" Sirius asked, snarling somewhat. "He does seem to adore you, I'll give him that. He has good taste at least even if his personality leaves much to be desired."

Perking up, Harry tipped his head to the side and frowned. He glanced from Sirius to Remus and back again, his frown growing deeper. Snatching the paper from the table and the quill once again, he furiously scribed a few words before holding it up. Sirius and Remus read it at the same time, blinking in surprise.

_He likes me?_

Remus snorted, holding back a laugh. He pulled Harry into his side, starting to run his fingers through the thick dark hair again.

"Of course he does. We both noticed it the day we arrived.

"If he were anyone else, he probably would have been drooling all over you," Sirius sighed.

"Like you?" the werewolf teased.

Sirius snarled silently at his lover, pouting heavily. Rolling his eyes, Remus turned back to Harry. The teenager was staring down at the paper in his hands, eyebrows furrowed as he thought intensely. Remus couldn't help but smile at the adorable image. How anyone wouldn't find this cute, he couldn't understand.

Finally, Harry wrote another question on the paper and slowly lifted it. His green eyes fixed on Remus as he held the parchment up in front of his mouth, hiding any facial expression that he bore. No one moved for a few moments, the silence filling the room. As the seconds ticked by, Harry became more anxious, fidgeting in his seat. He shifted his weight back and forth from one knee to the other, shrugging his shoulders a little as he waited. In complete panic, he dropped his eyes to his lap, pulling his bottom lip into his mouth. When a heavy hand rested on the crown of his head, he glanced up, meeting his godfather's bright eyes. The older man's mouth twitched and he silently nodded.

From where he sat beside Harry, Remus watched the godson and godfather in their silent exchange of understanding. He was thrilled really, his intelligent mind racing as he thought of the possibilities. Remus Lupin had never been a frivolous man and Sirius had always been the bigger gossip between the two of them, but the werewolf sincerely hoped that Severus accepted their puppy's love. He knew with his entire being that the older man felt the same for Harry.

_They will look cute together_, he decided with conviction.

Several floors below them, Severus was facing a similar dilemma. He had just ruined another potion, turning the traditionally green substance into a bright red bubbling cauldron of acid. With a swish of his wand, it was gone, but the feelings that it evoked didn't.

Sneering, he threw himself into a chair, arms crossed over his chest. He glared at the wall, snarling at the shadows as they seemed to laugh at him. His fingers dug into the fabric of his sleeves and pinched into the skin on his arms. He ignored the tight feeling and with a snarl, threw himself up and out of his chair.

He began to pace around the dungeon room, hands clenched into fists. It had been years since he'd been this frustrated, this distracted. He'd been trying all week to perfect even the simplest of potions and somehow it escaped him every time. This was something he should be able to do in his sleep. Instead, he was left to fret and worry over a simple healing potion. Not even his Occulmency was helping at all. Every time he tried to sink behind his mental walls and organize his thoughts, the control was always ripped away from him.

He felt like a child again, unable to control his emotions or thoughts. The control that he had once craved was gone.

Of course, he knew the source of his troubles and it was something –_someone_- that he would rather not admit to thinking about, or at least not in this context. The dog and the werewolf would kill him for even thinking such a thing, not that he really cared what they did.

The dreams that haunted him were not always at night, seeping into his awake state to take over his entire being. A shiver ran through his body as he thought about them, a mix of pleasure and revulsion directed towards himself.

_Damn idiot_, he thought. _How dare you even fantasize about Ha- that boy! He went through hell to get here and now you're prepared to throw him right back into it._

_Well, that's not exactly true. Unlike those men, you wouldn't pay him for the sex. He'd be your partner in everything, instead,_ another part of his mind whispered.

_Shut up!_ he cursed, whipping around as though to face some enemy.

He began storming off in the other direction, circling the perimeter of the room. The thought of what someone would see if they came into his private lab didn't bother him. He was frustrated, annoyed, and downright in love with the sixteen-year-old, former prostitute brother of Michael Potter and magical heir to the Dark Lord. If anything, the situation gave him the right to throw a fit now and then.

As he stomped around the room, he thought of the boy that he somehow had come to love completely and absolutely. He was small for his age, barely coming up to Severus's shoulder. His hair was long and smooth, thick like his father's and brother's, but not nearly as wild. The boy was so pale, so thin, and so beautiful. His eyes, as green as anything he'd ever seen, were terrifying and exhilarating to look at. One moment they were submissive and doe-like, then stubborn and filled with fire the next. With a thin jaw, high cheekbones, and that gently sloped forehead, he resembled his mother quite a bit, a touch of femininity gracing his features. Everything about him though was so small. It almost made him wonder if-

Shaking himself out of the thought, he stopped his pacing and stepped over to the cauldron again. Picking up bottle of ingredients, he started the fire once again and began preparing to try again.

_Water, poppy sand, frog's toes, stir three times clockwise, green clay, chopped laurel leaves, and let simmer for-_

He was cut off by a sharp knock at the door. Looking up, he placed a stasis charm over the potion and stormed over to the door, robes billowing. He threw it open, eyes sharpening into his signature glare.

They quickly softened when he saw the small, dark-haired teenager standing in front of him.

Harry cleared his throat and looked sheepish, hands clasped in front of him as he looked up at Severus. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. Severus watched as the teenager furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, glancing down at the stone floor before he turned his gaze to the Potions Master again. The hands that were clenched in front of him slowly dropped to his sides as the man and the boy stared at each other.

"Is there something-"

Tiny hands grabbed the collar of his robes, pulling down to the firm, small mouth as Harry drew him into a kiss. Severus froze for a moment, unsure what to do. His mind numbed as his entire mind, his being, his soul focused on the boy –no, man- in front of him. He grabbed at the thin hips and hoisted Harry up into his arms, deepening the kiss. They both groaned at the movement and the dark-haired teen wrapped his arms around Severus's neck. Their tongues clashed as they opened their moths to each other.

_Perfection_, the Potions Master thought.

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